Black Blood, Red Tears
by ObsidianInari
Summary: This story is part of the "Solve the Mystery" series I started on Quizilla, but since Quizilla has started to mess up with me-grrrr-I'm moving it here and to AFF. SO! IF you must know more, go to  :D
1. Chapter 1

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

bloody tears

It was the dark, windy night that he had been waiting for. Nobody would see him, if he was careful to keep his eyes unseen. He crouched behind the bush, contemplating his moves. It had been a long time since he had left his Clan so he could not go back there. They would see him as traitor even if he did return. He had nowhere to go, but he could not stay here any longer.

His past, once a bright and shiny thing, had become as dark as his long hair that swung down his back. He had done many things and he regretted every one of them, but he had done them thinking they would be the betterment of mankind when, in reality, it was only helping in the destruction. No more would he harm people, no more would he conduct such sadistic experiments, no more would he kidnap and train unwilling children. It was over. He would not harm anyone as long as he lived. He was twenty-five now, old enough to make his own decisions, and _this _was his most pressing decision ever.

Weeks ago, he had decided to leave, but he had to wait for the darkest night or he would be spotted by anyone, everyone. He had no choice but to wait and plan, so he had.

His long, shiny black hair and black cloak made him invisible in the night as he slinked through the gates easily, quickly. His silver eyes gleamed in the darkness, making it easy for him to see his way. It was as though everything glowed from the inside with a brilliant, white light. Nobody else would be able to see as well. He'd chosen the night of the new moon for just that reason.

"Hey, where are you going?" a soft, familiar voice asked from behind him.

The tall, black-haired man turned, looking at the shorter man. "y friend, it is you," he said with a sigh, voice soft, deep, rough with a strong, rolling accent.

"Are you leaving?"

Knowing his friend would not see his nod, he said, "I am leaving. I am sorry, but things will never change here. I am done doing his bidding. I cannot do this any longer. I must go and make my own in this world."

"I understand. I know that you are right about this, but I cannot follow you. I am sorry. You are on your own. I can only give you five minutes of free time to run. I would take that time and run with it."

"Thank you, my friend. I could not ask for more. I must leave."

"Go, now." He backed away, turned and ran, screaming, "He is escaping! He is escaping! Stop him, stop him!"

He turned in the other direction and ran toward the tall wall, leaping over it in one, easy bound, landing silently and running just as silently. He felt the stars and wind helping, lending him wings as he easily flew over fallen trees, over holes and across lakes, sailing easily through jumps that should've been harder. He kept running, even as the sky lightened and the sun arose. He did not stop even when the sky once again darkened. He ran, unstoppable, for days, possibly weeks, and when, finally, he rested, he was tired, heart pounding, lungs suffering, limbs heavy with inanition, but he forced himself back to his feet and walked until his legs would not support his body any longer. When that happened, he collapsed, breathing hard. His stomach was empty, aching with hunger pains, but he bore on until darkness began to eat as his vision.

A man had chosen to go for a walk by then. His light brown hair waved gently in the winds as he walked on. He was tired, but it was a good tired. He had gotten his sister from the place and the people that had tormented her so badly. It was on this day that he came upon the man with the long, shiny black hair, long, black cloak, sprawled in the long grasses. He almost missed him, but when he stepped down once, he felt something soft beneath his foot. When he glanced down, he was standing on the edge of a black cloth. His blue eyes followed the cloak to a man, lying face-down, hair strewn all about. He bent, shook him slightly. No response, so he lifted him to his shoulder and stood, running as fast as he could back to the shelter he had built for his sister.

"Lios, who is that, my brother?" a woman with light brown hair and bright blue eyes asked, peeking out the door of the shelter.

"I know not, sister. I know only that he is hurt, in some way. I brought him here to heal and recover."

She stepped out of the way, letting her brother bring the strange man in, but her eyes were cautious, wary of the man she did not know. Behind her stood a small, reddish-brownish haired boy with wide, frightened deep green eyes. He was a handsome boy, tall for his age, with a strong, fair face that matched the face of Lios. "Bolestrole, stand back," the woman said softly. "Go to your room and do not come out until I come for you."

Bolestrole looked up at his mother, turned and ran to his room.

"Do not worry so, sister. I am here to protect you." Lios carried the man to his own bed, laying him down, his sister right on his heel. "He needs food and water, posthaste, or he shall die."

She nodded. "I will cook him something, provided you stay here and watch him."

"I shall."

She turned and left the room, rummaging through the kitchen until she had put together a small, edible meal and brought it to the man.

Lios lifted the man, shaking him slightly. "Hey, wake up. You need to eat."

His eyes opened and they both stepped back in surprise as the aware, silver eyes met theirs. "Where am I?" he asked in a rough, quiet voice.

"You are safe here, My Lord, but you need to eat to regain your strength, then rest." She handed him the food. "Eat up, My Lord."

He studied her. Her long light brown hair and bright blue eyes entranced him. She was beautiful, but her eyes were wary as though she had seen a lot in her young life. He nodded once, briskly, and ate the food quickly, drinking what she brought him next until he felt full and tired. "Thank you," he said, voice stronger.

"Do not thank us until you are well again, my friend," Lios said. "I am Lios. This is my sister, Khris."

She bowed to him. "Hello, My Lord."

"I am . . ." he froze, voice catching, "I am . . . Junsei."

"Greetings, Junsei. Welcome to our happy home."

"Thank you for your help, Lios, Khris."

"Get well first, then thank us. Khris, take the dishes to the kitchen, please."

She nodded and took off with them.

"You are welcome here as long as you wish to stay, Junsei. I shall work to build a room for you."

"No, don't trouble yourself. I cannot stay here."

He studied him. "Why not?"

He shook his head. "I cannot."

"Will you take my sister with you? It is much to ask, but she has nowhere to go and she can't return to her home. If she stays here, she will be in danger."

"I'll take her with me."

"Thank you, Junsei. Where will you go?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. I will keep going until I find someplace to settle, someplace far."

"Keep her safe, please."

"How old is she?"

"She is nineteen. Her son is five."

He froze. "Son?"

"Yes."

"You said nothing about the son."

"His name is Bolestrole. He is a stripping young lad and is smart and very polite. He'll not give you trouble."

"If both your sister and her son come with me, I cannot guarantee their safety."

"It's better than what we have here."

He closed his eyes. "Then I'll take them with me." His long hair brushed his cheek and he opened his eyes, bring his hair out to look at it. "I need a hair-cut."

"I'll get a knife and get to that now. Again, thank you." He walked to the door, turned back and asked, "By the way, those eyes . . . you are not part of the Hyuuga Clan, are you?"

His eyes drifted closed again. "No," he said softly. Lios left then and thoughts filled his head. Why had he accepted Lios's request? What had made him accept that? The picture of Khris' face popped into his head and he knew why he had accepted, why he would do as he asked. He nodded once, knowing his newest quest.

Days passed and Junsei got well. Lios left home the morning Junsei had told him he was leaving. He said he did not want to see his sister off. They had yet to have told Khris that he was not coming back for her and that she was coming with Junsei. It was dark when Junsei waited in her room for her to enter. He wore his cloak and the hood was up to hide those glowing silver eyes so she did not see him at first. His hair was short-cropped close to his scalp, only an inch of hair remained.

She stepped in, wearing her white nightdress and her robe, closed the door behind her.

"Get your son," Junsei said softly.

With a gasp, she looked up, hands going to close her robe shakily. "What are you doing in here? Lios will kill you!"

"Lios told me to take you. Now get your son."

"T-take me?" She took a step backward, back hitting the door.

"You and Bolestrole are coming with me. Your brother told me to take you with me. He is not coming back to this house."

"You lie!" she gasped.

"Do I?" He took two, long steps and was right before her, hand closing around her chin, forcing her face up. "I do not lie, not about this. Your brother is not coming back for you. He left you to my care and I shall do as he bid. Get your son or I will get him."

"I am not going anywhere with you." Her eyes narrowed. "And you can't make me."

He smirked. "Can't I?" In one quick movement, he had her thrown over his shoulder. "I will do as your brother asked me." He opened the door and stepped out, heading toward Bolestrole's room.

She screamed. "Bolestrole, run!"

He opened the door and Bolestrole was sleeping soundly, even when he picked him up in one arm, he did not stir. "Convenient. I won't have to chase him down." He walked back out, kicking the front door open and starting to run. "I do not know where we will end up, Khris, but I do know one thing. You and your son are safe with me. I would never hurt you, especially not like your husband did. You brother told me everything. You are safe with me. I know you don't trust me and you won't until I prove myself to you, but I promise you, now and forever, that I would never lay a hand on you and that I will protect you and your son to my death."

"Why?"

He sighed, still running. "I will not lie to you. I have done some horrible things in my past, things that might make future happiness an impossibility. I may never be safe, but I promise you that you and your son will _always _be safe. I'll see to that. I'll take you somewhere far away, somewhere nobody would recognize you or me or Bolestrole and there we shall stay, forever, and you'll be safe. If problems arise, I will run and leave you to yourself because I cannot take you with me if I need to run. I will not endanger you that much."

She nodded. "I don't know why, Junsei, but I . . . I believe you."

"You believe me because I am telling truth. I won't lie to you." Silence cocooned them both and he ran, not stopping until they reached a group of people walking along. They were all wounded or tired. He stopped, set Khris down and handed her sleeping son to her. "Stay right here. I'll see if they're dangerous." He left her there.

The thought of running crossed her mind, but she knew she was safe. Looking down at her son, she hoped she was right.

He returned shortly after, the group with him. "We're all going together now. We're going to find a safe place and create a village, for just us." He smiled and touched her cheek. "We'll be safe there."

"You think so?"

He nodded. "Yes. I know so. Come, we shall walk together now." He took her son from her, holding him gently, and took her hand into his own. "Everything will be okay soon." Looking to the future, Junsei and Khris continued onward, to a new future, a new land . . . a new life awaited them.

Everything was set up. They were rulers of a large village, with their own large house and the people loved them. It was a beautiful thing. Tonight Bolestrole slept in his own room, in his new bed. He was still a loveable five-year-old, but the journey had changed something about him. He had become more mature.

And something had changed Junsei, as well. When he looked at Khris, he no longer saw the young girl he had once seen. Now he saw a beautiful, intelligent, strong woman and he had fallen for her. Things had changed between them, intensifying to a point that scared both of them. It was no longer an easy friendship tinged with distrust. It had long ago matured to something more, something dangerous. They lived together and that made it much worse. Junsei had come to want for the woman he had saved. It had all become crystal clear the night of the New Moon. That was the night that everything changed between them. That was the night they were first together as man and woman, the night they became one. Shortly after that, they married because something unexpected had happened.

They had fallen in love and Khris was pregnant.


	2. It Begins

She ran, squealing with laughter, long silver hair waving in the wind. She wore a knee-length light blue gown and was barefoot.

Her brother ran after her, beaming, and tapped her shoulder. "Tag, you're it!"

She smiled, giggling.

"You're getting fast, Starlight," Bolestrole commented. "That's good. Your training is coming along, at least with speed." He turned. "All right, you two! I'm coming to find you. Starlight, go hide." He walked off, leaving the girl to find a place to hide in and looking for his other two sisters. A flash of pink-he smiled. "Come out, Sunset. I saw you."

A little girl with long, pink hair and pink eyes, wearing a pink, knee-length gown came out. She was smiling.

"Good hiding, but you should learn to camouflage a little better." He patted her head. "Stay here." He walked on, looking hard. A flash of yellow. "Silv, come out."

Now a little girl with light, light blond hair and light baby blue eyes came out of hiding. "Hi," she said, laughing. "I hid."

"Work on your camouflage, too." He smiled. "But good job. All right, Star! I'm coming to-" a scream. Starlight! He turned and ran back to where he had left her. She came into view slowly, but someone was standing in front of her. He got there and sighed. Kartwer, his other sister.

She'd pushed Starlight to the ground, hard enough Star had cut her hand open. "You're pathetic! You can't do anything right!" she yelled.

Starlight's silver eyes met Bolestrole's deep green eyes and she jumped up and ran to Bolestrole, jumping into his arms, holding onto him.

Kartwer turned, eyes dark and angry. "And here comes big brother to the rescue! As always."

"Leave her alone, Kartwer."

"What are you going to do, Bolestrole? Run to daddy again?"

"Yes." He turned and, taking Silverstar's hand into his. "Silv, take Sunny's hand."

She did.

"Let's go get Daddy." He carried her through the heavily wooded area until he reached their mansion, then ran up the stairs to the front door and through the house until he found his father. "Dad, Kartwer's picking on Starlight again."

A frown on his handsome face, silver eyes narrowed, he looked at his daughter's teary face and lifted her from Bolestrole. "Again?" He looked into his daughter's silver eyes, silver eyes that only she had inherited. Her eyes matched his perfectly. She was the only of his children that had gained his eyes. She also had inherited his ability of stars and wind. Since Starlight had inherited his Stars, she had been born dead. Only one person could use the Stars at a time. If two people can, then one of them has to die, but Junsei had given up his power over stars so she would live. Since she was born dead, she was different. She craved blood and could mess with souls and bodies and minds. She was . . . Junsei sometimes thought it was like Starlight was the living dead. She drank and lived off of blood, could devour and change and unbind souls and could completely consume someone's powers.

Her powers were also extremely unstable because of this. Strong and unstable. It was why Junsei and Khris had decided to put Starlight through early training. Starlight was part of a group of triplets. She, Sunset and Silverstar were triplets. Silverstar and Sunset both were much weaker, with none of Starlight's unique abilities. Kartwer was the weakest of the children. She had Khris' light brown hair and blue eyes and looked more like Khris' mother, which meant Kartwer wasn't very pretty. Her nose was slightly too large, lips thin and pale, cheeks square. She wasn't ugly, just more plain.

Starlight, Silverstar and Sunset were all very beautiful children. They looked more like Junsei's grandmother, except for the hair. They each had very unique hair that was all their own. Starlight was the only one with those special, silver eyes. It made her powers all the more strange. She drank blood at least three times a day and if she went longer than that without blood, her crimson lips dulled in color. She also gained abilities and power with every swallow of blood. Junsei often wondered if she could gain Bloodline Traits or if that was beyond her power.

He also reflected on how a man like him would be blessed with such a bountiful family. He loved his wife and loved his children, Bolestrole and Kartwer included. He saw Bolestrole as his son. Starlight, however, was definitely his favorite. Maybe it was that she had gained his eyes whereas no other child had. Those eyes were a mark of status, even now that he was away from his Clan.

Another thought that often went around his mind was he often thought about how his old master would love to have such a unique girl. He would love to experiment on her, use her abilities to his own advantage. It scared him. Junsei knew that if he ever found out about Starlight's abilities, if he ever found out who Junsei really was, he would be there in the flick of a wrist. He would not waste any time getting to her-nor would he waste any time in killing Junsei. Running would not be an option, not now, and he knew that. He knew that if he found out about Starlight, he would not stop at anything. Running wouldn't help because he would follow. They would be on the run. He could not put his family through that. They wouldn't survive it.

It was something Junsei often had nightmares of, his old master finding him, taking his daughters while he was powerless to help.

If he was completely honest, he loved Kartwer, but he didn't like her. He didn't like anything about her. He loved her because she was his daughter, but that we where it ended. Kartwer was four, Bolestrole was nine and Starlight, Silverstar and Sunset were eighteen months old. They could walk and talk and even run very well for their age.

It was something that Junsei took a lot of time to do, teaching them how to defend themselves-especially Starlight. She needed to know basic self-defense in case _he _ever came to get her. He would go after her and Junsei would be _damned _if he got her! He would not allow that to happen, even at the expense of his own death. He would do anything he could to keep her out of his hands.

"Starlight, do you remember what I told you?" he asked, bouncing her slightly.

She shook her head.

"You're my little girl and you are by no means a failure."

"Kartwer says I am a freak," she said quietly.

"You aren't a freak."

"And that I'm pa-path-"

"Pathetic?" he asked.

She nodded.

"You're not pathetic or a freak or a failure. You're my baby and I love you more than anything." He kissed her forehead. "Now go and play, baby." He knelt and let her go, hugging the other three. "I love all of you and nothing will change that. Go play." He shooed them off.

Starlight ran off quickly. There was something in the air that she didn't like, something that had started when Bolestrole had carried her to father. It was something that said bad things were on their way. She looked up at her brother, around at her sisters, frowning. Something was wrong. Something was coming. She needed to find Kartwer. "Brother, Kartwer."

"What about her?"

"She's gone."

Bolestrole shook his head, smiling. "She's not gone. She's probably hiding with some of her stupid friends."

Silv looked over at Starlight and she knew that Silv felt it, too. Something was wrong.

Days passed and Kartwer didn't show up. A search was held, but nothing turned up. While Junsei was out searching, he ran into someone he thought he'd never see again. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to warn you. What is the name you are going by?"

"I've adopted the name 'Junsei.'"

"Okay, Junsei. He's on his way. Some girl named Kartwer came to him and told him all about your daughter Starlight."

Junsei's eyes widened. "Kartwer betrayed her family."

"Kartwer is your daughter?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"You cut your hair," he said, looking at Junsei's now shoulder-length black hair. It was tied in a ponytail. "It's growing back."

"How could she betray her own family? I spoiled that girl! I can't believe she would do this! Does she know what she's done? She's condemned us all to die!" He ranted for a few minutes, unable to really believe she had done this. "Why would she . . . Kartwer, why?" His eyes were burning with rage and tears and fear. "Where is he?"

"You have two hours, at most. I was sent ahead to find you."

"Thank you for warning me. I appreciate it very much." He turned and ran back to the house. "Starlight! Starlight! Get over here!"

Starlight immediately ran to him, eyes downcast and lips trembling.

"You're not in trouble, baby, don't cry. It's okay." He lifted her up, hugging her close to his heart, tightly. "We're all in trouble." He carried her through the house, looking for the hiding place he'd constructed for just this day. He knelt and opened the trick, hidden door. "It opens from the inside, Starlight, like this," he showed her how, "and this little peephole right here-" he showed her the peephole on the inside of the door "-it cannot be seen by the outside. Keep an eye out and do not come out until your mother or I come and get you, understand? Do not come out until then."

He hugged her close once more, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, her hands, then hugged her again and set her inside the little hiding place. He felt his eyes tearing and he held them back, eyes burning and itching. His heart was aching because he knew this would be the last time he would see his baby. "Goodbye, Starlight," he murmured, reaching in to kiss her forehead for the last time. "Don't come out until it's safe." He shut the door, locked it and stood. "Goodbye, my daughter." He pressed his hand to the hiding place and put his energy around the little place, adding a layer of protection to both the hiding spot and his daughter. A single tear fell from each eye, hitting the floor. To his ears, as tuned in as they were to his daughter's heartbeat, the splash of the tears was unbearably loud. He turned and walked away quickly, looking back only once before he left the room.

Starlight, inside that tiny, confined area, curled into a ball. There was pain in her heart that told her that was the last time she would ever see her father. Her eyes were blurry with tears and her head and heart both ached. She watched her father through the peephole until he was gone, then turned from it and curled into a tight, small ball, crying silently. "Daddy," she whimpered softly. Minutes passed, or hours, until she heard anything. Excited, she looked up, glancing out of the little peephole, but all she saw was a man in a long, black cloak, completely hidden, and her mother.

He was hurting her, Starlight could see that. Khris was screaming, trying to run from him, but he was too fast. He caught her and Starlight heard the horrifying _crack _of her neck a second before her body fell to the floor, hitting hard and loud enough to muffle Starlight's whimper.

The man looked up and she cupped her hands over her mouth, closing her eyes and not moving a muscle. Minutes passed and she opened one eye a slit and he was gone. She eased closer to the door, looking out, trying to find him. He was nowhere to be seen, but she stayed inside the little area, holding her breath to listen at times. Finally her curiosity got the better of her and she opened the door and silently stepped out, toward her mother. There was blood pooled under her head, which meant she had died of something more than a broken neck. Nauseas, she backed away quickly, tripping over something. She scrambled to her feet, turned and ran, as fast as she could, to get her father. She looked in every room until she finally came across her parents' bedroom. Easing the door open, she peeked in.

Junsei lay in the middle of the room, eyes wide and glassy, blood soaking through his clothes, hair strewn beneath him.

Her eyes widened and she froze, unable to move. "Daddy?" she whispered, creeping to him. She shook his shoulder. "Daddy?" There was no response when she lifted his hand. His hand was cold. Dropping his hand, she jumped to her feet, backing away again, then spun and ran from the room, down the stairs and out the front door. "Big brother!" she screamed. "Brother!" A sickness was sinking in on her, one that would not be easily ridded of. She knew that nothing would ever be the same for her again. "Big brother!" she yelled again, at the top of her lungs. When that got her no results, she yelled for her sisters, even running back into the house to their shared room, but there was nobody there. Tears were decorating her face now, eyes wide and sight blurred, long, silver hair falling around her in tangles.

She dropped to the middle of the floor, body heavy, unable to move. Nothing in her world made sense now. Nothing but one thing. This was no longer her home. There was no life left for her here. She had to leave. She stood, ran to put some clothes into a bag and walked from the house, a new kind of determination hardening her to something unrecognizable.

Hours, or days, later, she was still walking. She was tired and hungry, but she would not allow herself to rest. It had been a long time since she had blood and her lips were becoming white. She needed to find blood soon or she would parish.

Voices-to the left of her. She turned slightly, dropping her bags, listening. They were camping. Her stomach growled and she crept closer to the sound of voices slowly, carefully, until a woman and a man came into her view. They were kissing. She came out of the brush, looking up at them.

The woman saw her first and she pulled away from the man, smiling. "Well, hi, there little girl! How are you?" She knelt in front of her. "Are you hungry? Where are your parents?"

Starlight studied the woman, opening her mouth slightly to taste the air. The woman's blood tasted nasty so she turned to the man, but he had the same sweet quality. She shook her head. "Thirsty," she whimpered.

"Wow, she's really colorless, isn't she, Lena? She's like a ghost," the man said.

"Don't say that, Aeryk! You might frighten her." She smiled at her. "You're thirsty, huh? Come on, hun. Let's get you something to drink." She stood, walked to her tent and went inside. A moment later, she came back out with a cup of juice and walked to her to give it over. "Here, baby."

Star sniffed it, unsure. She needed blood, not juice. How would she get blood? Thirsty nonetheless, she downed it quickly, then yawned.

"Come on, baby, let's get you down for a nap. Then we'll find your parents."

The scent of blood awakened her and she yawned and stretched, sitting up, eyes opening. She looked around and her eyes widened. Around her, the entire place had been wrecked. The man and the woman were missing and she didn't know where they were. She stood and walked around, finally managing to find them not far from where she'd slept. Their throats had been torn out. The taste of blood became strong in Star's mouth and she touched her lips, feeling dry, crusted blood around her mouth. Horror and shock filled her.

_She _had killed them. _She _had destroyed this place-it had all been her!

She backed away quickly, refusing to look around, and without even worrying about finding her clothes, she ran as fast as she could, the feeling of horror still filling her with disbelief. How would her father react, knowing she had killed someone, knowing that she had brutalized someone like that? How would her mother react? Finally she stopped, worn out from crying and running, at the edge of a pond and looked in, studying her reflection. She had blood caked over her mouth and chin. She cupped her hands in the water and scrubbed at the blood, revealing crimson lips. Yes. She had been the one who had done that. She had killed that nice couple.

"Starlight, is that you?" an unfamiliar voice said from behind her.

She stood quickly, eyes wide.

A man stood from her, a few feet away. He had blond hair and green eyes, was tan and tall, a bit thin, but looked strong.

There was something about him she instantly didn't trust.

"I knew your father, Starlight. He was a good friend of mine. He would want me to look after you. Come, child. You're safe now."

She wasn't sure what to do, what to think. Did he really know her father, or was he lying?"

"Your father worked with me and a few other people for a long, long time, before he became the man you know now. Come on, Starlight. We must leave this place before the man who killed your father finds us. If we don't, we'll be in a lot of trouble. Come, girl." He took a step toward her, reaching out.

Someone yelled, "Don't touch her! Starlight, run!" and she turned and ran, running straight through the shallow pond. It never reached above her knees the whole time she went through it. She looked back and saw another man fighting with the blond man, but she didn't stop or slow.

A few minutes later, she was hauled into someone's arms. It was the man who'd told her to run. "You're safe now, Starlight. Everything will be okay." He was running with her easily, smoothly. He had light brown hair and blue eyes, just like her mother had. "I'm your uncle, Lios. You've never met me, dearest, but I'm your mother's brother. I have been searching for my sister for a long time and I came upon the village and saw what had happened. There were pictures of five children, not just the one I found. I knew that there were four other children, but I couldn't find them. I know your name because of the picture of you with your name painted across it. I'm sorry everything happened as it did, Starlight, but I'm here, now." He ran in silence for a long time before he came to a small house. He knocked.

An older man came to the door, a man that looked a lot like Lios. His eyes met Star's instantly. "Where's your sister?"

"Khris is dead, so is Bolestrole and Junsei. Starlight is all I could salvage. She's your granddaughter, father."

He studied her, blue eyes lit with a strange glow. "She's a beautiful young thing, isn't she?"

"Father, be nice. You promised you had changed your ways."

He nodded. "I have, don't worry, son. I'm just saying. She is beautiful. She doesn't look much like Khris or your mother."

"No, she doesn't. She looks more like her father, especially those eyes."

"You sure he wasn't part of that Clan with those eyes? Oh, what was it called . . . Uh, started with an 'h'?"

"He said he wasn't. Father, take Starlight in and watch over her until I return. I don't know how long I'll be gone, but I am going to search for the other three children and the man that murdered them."

The old man took her. "Yes, Lios. You do that. We'll be here when you return." He backed into the house, shutting the door, and set Star down, studying her. "You'd get a nice price, wouldn't you?"

The urge to back away from him filled her, but she fought it. She had killed two people. She could certainly do it again.

"We have to get you fitted for clothes, then we'll go somewhere safe, somewhere nobody will ever find us." He turned away. "Yes, that is what we shall do. Okay, it's settled." He faced Star again, eyes wild with excitement. "Starlight, you're going back to your family's homeland!"

Years passed and, though Starlight wasn't treated well, she did continue on with her training. She trained herself mostly, sometimes finding other people to train with, but she wasn't getting the training she wanted.

Her grandfather had brought her to a very bad place where she had no rights. If anyone found out she was learning to fight, she'd be put to death. Women had few, if any rights. She was supposed to be married by the time she was twelve and she'd been beaten and starved and sexually abused. She was tired of it.

Like her father had years before, she waited for the night where there was no moon in the sky and it was dark as coal out. Her eyes, inherited from her father, made everything look as though it was daytime. She wore a black cloak to hide her shining silver hair as she crept silently on her stomach through brush and trees. Not a sound came from her as she quickly made her getaway. She had been planning this for a long time now and she'd done enough training to know she could handle anyone in her way.

Once she was far enough away that she wouldn't be seen, she stood slowly, looked around, and continued onward. She hadn't brought any of her clothes because they were all disgustingly revealing, especially for a four-year-old. She knew where she wanted to go and she would not stop until she reached her destination.

Leaf Village.


	3. Uchiha Boy

I entered the class room, ignoring the bunch of girls in the middle of the room who were arguing over who would sit next to that pesky Uchiha boy. I went quietly to my seat in the back of the classroom and sat down, clutching my black notebook to my chest. My black notebook was filled with my memories, thoughts, drawings and even poems. I had two pens, one with black ink and one with my blood as ink.

I'd arrived at the Leaf Village shortly after my fifth birthday and I've been here ever since. I'd made two friends, Hinata Hyuuga being one of them. I sat by her whenever I could and, right now, I was sitting by her. I smiled at her.

She smiled back.

"Hi, Hinata. How are you?"

"I-I'm fine. You?"

"Okay. Did you sleep well?" When I'd first met Hinata, she stuttered every word, but after spending so much time with me, she didn't stutter or blush as much. She still stuttered and blushed, just not nearly as much.

She nodded. "Yes." She pointed at my notebook. "H-have you drawn anything?"

I nodded quickly. "Yes. Want to see?" I handed her the notebook. She was the only one I let see it.

Someone plopped down next to me. Kiba, probably. He was my other friend.

I turned and smiled at him. "Hi."

He beamed. "Hey, Star! How are you?"

Akamaru jumped over onto my lap to snuggle, then went back to Kiba.

"I'm good. Thanks. You?"

"Pretty good." He leant around me, smiling at Hinata. "Hey, Hinata."

"H-hi," she said, looking up from my notebook with a shy smile and a blush. She looked back down at the notebook.

"So how'd ya sleep?"

"Pretty good," I replied. "You?"

"Great! Man, I woke up today so excited! Graduated and all that, you know."

I smiled. I did know. "It's great, that's for sure." I felt someone enter the room and turned to look.

Neji. His cold, silver eyes met mine and, like they usually do, his eyes reminded me greatly of my father's eyes. He nodded once at me, then continued on as though nobody else existed. He seemed to notice me, but he didn't seem to notice anyone else.

When I turned back around, I saw Naruto get knocked into the Uchiha-and I couldn't help but laugh quietly.

Uchiha's eyes met mine and they were deadly with anger. We held eyes, neither one of us daring to look away first, and nobody seemed to notice.

Nobody but Hinata and Kiba. "Boy, you two should really tone down the hatred," Kiba joked. "Any more anger in that look, we'll all be burnt up by a fireball!" His voice was soft, but joking.

Hinata's hands closed around my arm and she kind of cowered against me, in kind of a protective, but scared way.

Naruto blocked my gaze, effectively breaking up the staring contest, and I looked away. "It's okay, it's over. He just has some pride issues." I said it loud enough so he could hear me and was rewarded with a low growl.

He stood quickly and was turning toward me with a scowl when Iruka-Sensei came in, forcing him to be seated once more.

I smirked. "Saved by the sensei," I mouthed.

He glared at me, jaw hard and tight with anger, black eyes roiling, then turned away as though I didn't exist.

"Okay, so you've all graduated from the academy. Next thing to do is to be assigned teams."

I gave a hopeful smile to Hinata and Kiba, locking arms with the three of them. "Hopefully we'll get lucky."

"Since there's an usual amount of students this year, there will be one team that will hold four students and one Sensei." He looked around. "I don't know how long that will last, so good luck to the ones who get into the team of four."

I looked over at Kiba, saying softly, "You're going to get stuck with Ino."

He chuckled. "You'll get stuck with Uchiha, then."

"Don't even say that in jest!" I gasped, pretending to die. "Hinata will get stuck with Naruto," I teased softly so nobody would hear.

She blushed. "Shh!"

"And Team 7 will be . . . Uzumaki, Naruto . . . Haruna, Sakura. . . ."

At that, Naruto jumped up, screaming, "Yah!" and Sakura smacked her head off the table.

"Uchiha, Sasuke."

Now their places were reversed, Naruto smacking his head and Sakura jumping up.

"And Windcan, Starlight."

I froze, body tense and unyielding.

"Iruka-Sensie, why does a great Ninja like me have to be with a slouch like Sasuke?"

"Because Sasuke has the highest scores. You, Naruto, had the lowest."

"Just be sure not to get in my way . . . loser," Sasuke said.

The sound of his voice made my irritation rise and Hinata put an arm around my shoulders. "It'll be okay," she said softly. "It will be, really."

Kiba put his arm around my waist. "I feel bad now."

"For what?"

"Saying you were going to get stuck with Uchiha."

I leant my head against his shoulder. "It's not your fault."

"But I still feel bad."

I caught the end of Iruka-Sensei's sentence, "Inuzuka, Kiba . . . Hyuuga, Hinata and Aburame, Shino."

I glanced over at Shino. He looked unmoved. Kiba and Hinata were smiling, but still looked worried. "At least you two get to be together," I mumbled.

"Don't kill anyone, Star," Kiba said seriously.

I nodded. "I'm working on it."

The Uchiha chose that moment to turn and his eyes met mine, a challenge deep in his eyes and a smirk on his face.

I held his eyes, scowling. Iruka-Sensei dismissed us and I stood, still holding his eyes.

He stood, too, and neither one of us moved until the classroom was empty and I'd waved off Kiba and Hinata. Once it was just us, he made his way up to me, scowl replacing that smirk. "Thought that was funny, did you?"

I knew instantly what he was talking about. "Yes. It was very funny. I bet Naruto has been scared straight . . . literally. Kissing _you _would make anyone like the opposite sex," I said, offhandedly.

His eyes darkened. "Kissing you would make them burn their lips off."

I smirked. "Anyone who kissed me would already have had their lips burnt off. I don't like being kissed."

"Yet you think it was funny Naruto got knocked into me."

"Oh, yes, very much so. I just wish I had a camera. In fact, I may draw that and post it everywhere!" I said, smiling.

"You're a pest," he spat. "And you're going to ruin the team and slow me down."

I glared at him. "I'm not the one with the ego problem, Uchiha!"

His jaw tightened. "I see why you're all alone. Your family probably left _you _behind! I'll bet they're glad to be rid of you."

For a moment, I was unable to say anything. Anger and depression welled in me. My eyes narrowed, I started to say something, but could think of no comeback.

"What's wrong? Can't deny it?"

As fast and hard as I could, I placed both hands on his chest and shoved, then ran from the room. I could feel my eyes burning with rage and tears. I ran to my favorite spot, the place I took nobody to, the place I was always alone in. I sat down on the rock that hung slightly over the river and fought against the tears.

A sound behind me made me whirl. Neji Hyuuga walked silently to me and sat next to me. "I heard the fight," he said softly, looking into the water.

"Yea, well, he's just lucky I didn't . . . I-I didn't hurt him. . . ."

"He's wrong, you know. You're not a pest."

This made me look up at him in shock. What was Neji doing here, talking to me, when he hated everyone and saw them all inferior to him? Why stoop low to talk to me?

He didn't meet my eyes or even look at me. He just sat there for a few minutes in silence before he said, "Your past is dark, Star, and destiny has been unkind to you. I find . . . I can relate to you, even like you, without talking to you."

"But I'm friends with Hinata. You hate her."

He shrugged. "Yes, I do resent her, but watching you with her, I've come to see that she's not responsible for everything I've been through. I cannot blame her for my problems."

"Neji. . . ."

"I've read your notebook, when Hinata brought it home once. I saw what was inside." He looked at me then. "Your notebook is much like you. The outside is beautiful and doesn't seem like much, but the inside . . . the inside is dark and filled with intense feelings and more beauty." His eyes searched mine. "Do not let that Uchiha bring you down. Your father gave his life so that you would live on. He would not have done that if he didn't know you were worthy of it." He touched my cheek gently. "And your eyes . . . you mention them a lot, in the notebook. I don't think the similarity of your eyes to mine . . . or the rest of the Hyuuga Clan is a coincidence. I think somehow you're part of us. Have you ever tried to control your eyes, instead of fighting them?"

I shook my head.

"That is why it is so painful for you. You have to let it happen, let it take its course, not fight it. If you fight it, then it's going to hurt, but give in to it, then tame it. It will make you stronger." His eyes changed slightly, lighting up. "I think you're more than what you seem to be. Maybe your father was a Hyuuga, maybe not, but you need to let your eyes take on their true form, just as you need to take on yours." He dropped his hand and looked back toward the water. "I can help you, if you wish, teach you the Hyuuga way. Maybe you can master it, just as I have."

"You . . . you're offering to train me?"

"No." He paused. "I'm offering to teach you to be yourself. I'm offering to teach you to control your eyes to the best of your abilities."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Maybe because I don't find you annoying. Maybe I'm just tired of training with weak people. You're strong, Star. One day, I want to fight you. For now, I am happy to call you friend, if that's okay."

I nodded. "Y-yes! I mean, I don't see why you'd want to be friends with someone like me, b-but thank you, I am honored."

He smiled slightly and turned his face to me. "Maybe because the original appeal to you was that I find you very beautiful. I ignored that until I saw the notebook. Then I began to watch you closer, to observe you. I've come to decide I want to be friends." Once more, he placed his hand against my cheek, eyes locked on mine. "At least, for now." He dropped his hand and stood. "Ignore Sasuke. He's just a pampered little boy mourning the loss of his childhood." And he was gone.

I stood, brushed myself off and stared after him, then turned and left to find Hinata and Kiba and Akamaru. Once I did, I ran up to them, tackling Kiba instantly.

He let out a yip and we fell to the ground, wrestling. We turned on Hinata as one and advanced. She ran and we chased her, Akamaru joining in. We ended up under a big oak tree and laughing. "Boy, that was something I needed," I said. "You guys are the best."

Kiba grinned. "Of course we are! Though Hinata needs to stop being so shy."

"And you need to stop being such a tease," she said softly, smiling.

"And I need to stop trying to kill everyone," I chimed in.

"Not everyone, just Uchiha."

That reminded me. "Hey, Hinata, where's my notebook?"

She paled. "I-I left it in the classroom with you."

I froze. "I thought you had it." In an instant, I was up and running to the classroom, the three of them at my heels. I burst into the room, ran up to my spot, but my notebook was gone. "Shit," I said softly. "Where did it go?"

Kiba took a deep breath. "You and Uchiha were both here, so I smell both of you and your notebook. I don't know if he took your notebook. I can't tell."

"If that boy took my notebook, I'll make mincemeat out of him," I growled. I could feel my bloodlust rising inside me. As much as I hated him, that boy had a very ambrosial blood scent. I could easily imagine myself tearing his throat out. An evil smile curled my lips upward at the thought.

Kiba laughed. "All right, we're going blood hunting!"

Hinata grabbed his arm. "I think she should do this herself," she said softly, studying me.

I nodded, trying to curb the evil smile, turned and walked off, following the scent of Uchiha. I found him shortly later, leaning against a tree, my notebook open in his hands, eyes on me. The usual anger or scowl or hatred in his eyes was gone, replaced by mild curiosity and something deeper, something with a taste of sadness to it. "Uchiha," I spat. "My notebook."

He glanced down at it, shrugged, closed it and put it between his back and the tree, leaning on it. "I'm not done reading it."

"Give it back." I stalked closer to him.

"When I'm finished."

"No, you'll give it back now." I walked until I was toe-to-toe with him. "Well?"

"Fight me for it," he said. The usual sneer in his voice was gone. He said it like he really meant it.

I looked up the two inches at him. "What?"

"Fight me for it or wait until I'm finished with it. Those are your only two choices." I reached around him for my notebook and he grabbed my arm. "Now, now, don't be in such a rush."

"Give me my notebook, Uchiha."

He leant in just slightly. "Fight me for it."

The way he said that made my legs shake slightly, made me back away.

"Afraid?" he asked, voice low, smooth, stepping away from the tree. "Fight me, if you can. . . ."

I launched at him, then, yanking out a kunai from one of my wrist sheaths, aiming to cut across his cheek.

He was just suddenly gone. A moment passed and he was at my back, a kunai at my throat. "What's wrong, Star?" he purred. "Too fast for you?"

I elbowed back-but met empty air. The next second, I was pinned against the tree, his hand at my throat, his eyes locked on mine. I gasped. He was fast, I'd give him that. "This isn't fair," I said.

"Why not?"

"I-I can't fight like this." I hadn't had blood in two days. My lips were pale pink and my powers were greatly lowered than what they should be.

He smirked. "Oh, I know all about your bloodlust. I've read enough of the notebook to know that. I also know how special your blood is and what you can do." The smirk faded. "I even know your past and what you want to do."

I growled at him. "You know nothing."

"I know about your father. About his eyes-about your eyes." He studied me for a second, the released me and walked off just a bit, turning to the side. "I know about what happened to your family, that you watched your mother die and still remember it. I know that your eyes match the Hyuuga bastard's eyes, as did your father's. I know the emphasis he put on your eyes. I know everything that was written in this book about your past." He looked at me, body still turned to the side. "So I know that you want revenge on the man who killed your family."

"Give me my notebook, Uchiha."

He shook his head. "I'm not done with it."

"It's not yours."

He shrugged. "What is the point of trying to get it back now that I've read it?"

"Because it's mine."

He gave me a look. "Fight me, win and I'll give you the notebook. Lose and I'm not giving it back until I'm finished with it."

"I can't fight like this!" I said.

"Then you'll lose automatically."

I glared at him.

"Fight me, Star. Fight or give up the notebook."

"If you've read that much of the notebook, then you know that I'm in a weakened state and can't fight right now. Tonight is the night I go off and hunt. I can't fight until tomorrow."

"Well, then . . . I guess you give the notebook up. Don't worry, you'll get it back." He was just suddenly gone-then behind me, a kunai poised at my throat. "When I'm done with it." Then he vanished.

I growled. "Get back here with that!"

"Having problems?" a voice asked.

I turned, letting out a sigh. "Neji!"

"Want me to get it back for you?"

As much as I respected Neji and knew he was strong, I didn't want to pair him off with Uchiha. "No, I'll get it. Thanks."

"So when should we start the training?" he asked. "I was going to wait longer, but I've come to realize your eyes can't wait."

I shrugged. "Any time."

"Tomorrow, after your first day with your Sensei. You know where I live."

I nodded. "Neji?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks." A small smile came from me. "For what you said earlier."

He smiled back slightly. "You're welcome."

"Why did you . . . say it?"

"Because it would be a shame to see someone strong as you break." He came closer, slowly, until he was two feet from me. "Are you okay now?"

I nodded. "Yes, thank you for asking. Thank you more for caring. But why do you care?"

He shrugged. "I don't know why. I just do. I've watched you and Hinata become closer and closer for years now. I watched you grow up and you would always smile at me or nod at me. You didn't act like I didn't exist." Another shrug. "I don't know, it just made me like you more."

I smiled. "You pretend to be all tough and hard, but you're really not."

"I am, just not to people that don't deserve it."

"And I don't?"

He shook his head. "No, you don't." He walked toward me until he was less than a foot away and reached out one hand. "You are possibly the only person I can say this to, but I don't want to be cold to you." His hand dropped away and he turned and started to leave. "Tomorrow, after you meet with your Sensei," was his parting remark.

I almost called after him, almost asked him how he knew I had a meeting with Sensei, but I figured he probably had the same meeting with his own. I turned away, walked off, wondering what it was about my eyes that was so . . . so special.

I guess, one day, I'd find out.

Wouldn't I?

It was much later that night that I went hunting. I planned to go to the Bloody Rose to find a willing donor or two, maybe even three, fill up on as much blood as I could and possibly take a vial of blood from someone for the road. I wanted to be as strong as I possibly could for the fight with Uchiha that I knew would occur in the next few days. I would train later tomorrow-or today, actually, since it was past midnight-with Neji until I couldn't stand and I would drink from the vial I'd brought with me and continue to train as hard as I could. I wanted to make damn sure I could beat him.

I stepped into the club, scanning the club. I was wearing the black, bloody rose that was required of the blood drinkers so that donors could find them. I went up to the counter, still scanning the crowd. There had to be someone of slight use in here.

"Good evening, Star," Matt, the bartender greeted me. "You here for blood again?"

I nodded. As long as you wear a black, bloody rose pinned to the front of your shirt-which is given to you the first time you show up at the Bloody Rose-you were allowed into the club, no matter your age. Without it, you were not allowed inside the club if you weren't 21 or older.

Someone was coming up to me. A girl, about fifteen. She had flaming red hair and grey eyes, freckled. The blood scent that came from her was very . . . sweet. I didn't like sweet. "Hey. You a blood drinker?"

Pinned to her chest was a black, bloody rose. "Yes."

"One of my friends is a donor. If you want-"

"No, thanks." These kinds of blood drinkers pimped out their own donors. It's why I didn't take a permanent donor. "I can find my own." I waved her off, then turned around to scan the other side. There was an appetizing scent coming from a shy, timid girl that I instantly recognized-my jaw dropped. "_Hinata?" _I hurried over to her. "What are you doing here?"

Beside her was Kiba. Akamaru was not in sight. "We came looking for you. I thought it would be interesting to see-"

A blood drinker came up and stared at Hinata in a sneer. I growled at him and pulled Hinata to my side. "Mine," I growled. "Go." He growled back. "Want to fight for her? You'll _lose, _creeper. She can beat you by herself." When he turned away and left, I turned back to Kiba. "You two are in tremendous danger! Do you realize that?"

Kiba nodded. "Honestly, we followed someone here. . . ."

I stiffened. "Who?"

"Some guy in a black cloak. He was following you. Akamaru caught his scent and warned me. I went to get Hinata and we followed him here. We lost him once he got inside, but we didn't want you alone."

"How did you two get in? You're not twenty-one!" I whispered.

They both transformed to adults, then canceled and were kids again. "Simple."

I growled, looking around. "Stay here." I took my bloody rose off and slapped it onto Kiba's chest. "You'll need this. I need to find a donor. Stay next to Hinata and pretend she's your permanent donor." I moved away, went back to that red haired girl. "I've changed my mind. I'd be glad to take you up on your offer."

She smiled. "Great, I have three candidates."

"I'll need blood from one of them and I want one vial filled from another. Got it?"

"Can you pay for it?"

I pulled a twenty out. "This is for the vial." I pulled out a fifty. "This is for the blood."

She nodded, took me to two guys and a girl. I chose the brunette boy to feed off of and the blonde boy to fill the vial up with. Then I went back to Hinata and Kiba. I took my rose back. "Transform. Now. And let's go home."

They transformed and we went outside, where Akamaru was waiting for us. "What now?" Kiba asked.

"Now we go home."

"That's it? We don't try to find the guy?"

I shook my head. "You won't find him." I started walking. "He's long gone. He vanished when he realized you two were following him and he's not coming back."

"Actually," someone said from behind me. I recognized that voice and stiffened. "He vanished when he realized _I _was onto him." I turned to find Sasuke step out from the darkness. "He caught sight of me when I followed him into the club. He didn't care you two were following him. He was leading you there for something, but I screwed up his plan."

Something felt wrong about this. Why would Uchiha have followed him? "Really?"

He walked closer. "Really. I don't know what his plan was."

"Why don't you walk us to the village, Sasuke? That would be nice, wouldn't it?" I asked nicely.

He smiled. Sasuke never smiled. He smirked. "That _would _be nice!"

I turned my back and concentrated on my mental powers. I hadn't done this since I was four, but I focused exclusively on Kiba, since he was the strongest out of him and Hinata. _Kiba,_ I mentally said into his mind, forcing him to hear me.

He stiffened, looked around. "Did you hear that?"

_Kiba, it's Star. I'm speaking telepathically with you. Just think back. Don't speak out loud._ I met his eyes, nodded.

"Never mind, I guess I didn't hear anything. . . . Must be jumpy," he said, relaxing. _How do I know it's really you? Say something only Star would._

_Uchiha is a spoiled, pampered little brat. Why would he do something like following someone to help me, you or Hinata out? Think carefully on that subject, Kiba. The Uchiha with us right now is not real._

Kiba met my eyes again, worry in them. _How do you know?_

_My ability to scent someone? It's not him. His blood is marginally different. Smell him, Kiba. You'll smell it, too._

He took a deep breath, then nodded. "Smells nice out here," he commented. "Doesn't it, Sasuke?"

"Yes. It smells awesome!" He smiled again.

I nearly growled out loud. _See?_

_I see. It's not him. _

_I thought so. I need you to do me a favor. You need to veer off about five miles before we get to the village gate. Say you're going home or something, but hide off somewhere in the brush. Got it?_

_Yes. I'll stay out of sight and smell. _

_I'll contact you this way when I need you again. _I shut him out, then focused on Hinata. _Hinata, can you hear me? Don't say anything out loud. It's Star._

She stiffened slightly. _Star?_

_Yes._

_What are you doing?_

_Speaking telepathically with you. Listen closely, Hinata. The guy with us is not Uchiha. It's an impostor. I need you to do something for me._

_What is it?_

_About five miles before we get to the gate of the village, I need you to go ahead of us, run ahead to get Neji. Find some excuse to get him here, say Star needs him. Do something, anything, to get him here. We'll need him. Afterward, lead him to the village gate, where we'll be. Okay? Get him here as soon as possible. Can you handle that?_

_Yes. I got it! _I noticed, offhandedly, that she didn't stutter in her own mind. Hm. I saw her shoulders square as she took her position seriously.

_I'm signing out now. _I cut her out, smiled at Sasuke. "So what's-" _Kiba, _now!

_Right! _"Um, hey, I've got to go. Akamaru wants to run." He turned, winked and veered off into the nearby forest.

Hinata stared at me.

_It's okay, Hinata, _I calmed her. _It's planned._

She nodded, turned to watch his departure. "Have fun!" A few more feet and she glanced at me. I nodded and her eyes went wide. I almost believe her when she stopped and nearly squealed, "Oh, my Gosh! I-I ne-need to get home! My dad will kill me!" She ran off, quickly.

"Guess that leaves me and you," I said, yawning. He nodded, eyes intent on me, silent. We continued to walk until we hit the village gate. The closer I got to the gate, the more I could feel Neji and Hinata's presence. I smiled to myself and turned to face the fake. "Okay, out with it. Who are you?"

His eyes went wide. "What are you talking about?"

Hinata and Neji, Byakugan activated in both, suddenly just appeared. "Reveal your true identity or come to terms with your demise," Neji said, voice cool, deadly.

"Whoa, Neji, hold it! You know who I am!" the strangely familiar voice said as Neji stepped closer. The transformation jutsu wore off and Naruto stood there, holding his hands out in surrender. "It's just me! I thought I'd try my hand at pretending to be Sasuke!" He put his hand behind his head and chuckled sheepishly. "I guess I suck at it!"

Neji studied him. "Star?"

I sniffed him cautiously. "It's Naruto."

Neji's eyes returned to normal, but Hinata-strangely-was nowhere to be seen. I smiled and Neji seemed to relax just slightly. "What were you doing?"

"I cloaked myself and followed Star because I was going to try to pretend to be Sasuke because tomorrow I have a plan and I need to be able to pretend to be Sasuke and I figured who better to practice on than Star because she and Sasuke are always fighting, you know, so I was going to practice on her and see how well I did and-well, there it is." He chuckled again. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you to be on your guard like that! I really thought I could pull it off."

I shook my head. "Naruto!" I growled. "In order to pretend to be Sasuke, you would have to stop being nice, stop being bouncy and hyper and just answer things with one word answers and keep things short and to the point." I shook my head again. "Which you are not good at."

He blushed. "Well, you see, I need to get good at it before tomorrow if I'm going to pull off my plan!"

"Good luck with that, loser," I said, waving him off.

"You won't help?"

"I just did. I have to go to sleep, Naruto, so should you. We have to meet our Sensei tomorrow. I suggest you practice being short-tempered, sarcastic and a smart-ass, you'll be fine." I turned away. "Let's go."

I heard him sigh sadly. "I guess. . . ."

I growled. "Fine!" I turned to him, glaring. "You have ten minutes. Then I'm going to bed. Make it good. . . ."


	4. Making Friends

I sat in the very back of the classroom, watching Naruto set an eraser atop the door, giggling as he did so, and sighed angrily. This was ridiculous. That stupid Uchiha still had my damn notebook. I glared at the back of his head, ignoring everything around me. A sound at the door caught my attention and a white-haired man with only one eye uncovered stuck his head in. The eraser fell on his head. I sat perfectly still as Naruto doubled over in laughter and felt the urge to punch him.

"Well . . . my first impression of this group . . . you're a bunch of idiots," he said, disinterested.

I turned my scowl to Naruto, the source of my new annoyance. It wasn't long before the five of us were sitting outside, with Kakashi-Sensei standing before us. I sat in the very back, Uchiha slightly in front of me, Sakura about two feet from him and Naruto in the very front. Sakura kept glancing at Uchiha and giggling. Naruto was just beaming happily. I was glaring at everyone and everything around me.

"So . . . let's get to know each other, shall we? I want you to tell me your name, your hobbies, your dreams, what you like and what you hate."

"Um, Kakashi-Sensei, why don't you start? To show us what we're supposed to do?" Sakura asked.

"All right. My name is Hetake, Kakashi. I like a lot of things, I hate a lot of things. My hobbies . . . hm, I don't feel like telling you that. My dream, I don't feel like telling you that, either."

The only one that seem unperturbed by his less-than-informing introduction was Naruto, who rambled on quickly. "I am Uzumaki, Naruto! I like ramen, especially miso ramen! I hate the three minutes it takes to make ramen. My hobby is trying other kinds of ramen!" He paused, grinned. "My dream . . . is to become Hokage! Then everyone will respect me!"

Kakashi seemed slightly interested in that.

Sakura next. "I Haruna, Sakura. What I like . . ." she giggled, "I mean, _who _I like-" she glanced at the Uchiha, giggling and blushing. "My hobbies-" another giggle. "My dream is to be-" glance at Uchiha, giggle.

"What do you hate?"

"Naruto!"

Naruto's face fell at that.

Uchiha was silent for a moment and when he did speak, his voice was cool and emotionless. "I am Uchiha, Sasuke. I don't particularly like anything and I hate a lot of things. My hobby is training. I don't have a dream because I _will _make it a reality. My goal is to get stronger, restore my clan," now his voice turned dark, "and kill a certain someone."

Naruto's eyes widened and he looked frightened.

Kakashi looked toward me. I sighed. "Starlight. I hate most people. I like animals. My hobby is spending time with my two best friends and training with them. I don't have _dreams. _Dreams are pointless. I just am working to find out who is behind the annihilation of my family. When I find out who did it, I will take them out."

Kakashi-Sensei nodded. "Now that we have a basic idea of who we all are, our first mission will be assigned. Tomorrow, five in the morning. Don't be late. Also . . . don't eat breakfast. If you eat breakfast, it won't sit well."

"Awesome! Our first real mission! What is it, Kakashi-Sensei?" Naruto exploded.

"You'll be fighting me."

He looked confused.

"I'll explain it all tomorrow. For now, go train or relax or get to know one another. I don't care." He was gone.

I stood, turned and started walking. I had a destination.

"Where are you going?" a very familiar, rough voice asked from behind me. Uchiha.

I didn't bother turning. "I've got a training session scheduled."

"Oh, have you, now? With whom?" he asked, voice closer. I didn't hear him move closer.

"Why do you seem to think this is even remotely your business?"

"You're on my team. I believe I deserve to know which rival team you are planning to train with."

He sort of had a point there, but I refused to let him think that. "That means nothing to me. My friends are still my friends, whether they're on rival teams or not." There, that was not a lie, but it also didn't tell him who I had a training session with.

"So do you plan to train with one of your 'friends'?" His voice dripped with disdain at the word "friends."

"Yes."

He was now walking beside me. "I'll walk you there, since I've nothing better to do. . . ."

"Gee, that makes me feel special," I said caustically. "Really, Uchiha, I'd think you'd have something better to do than to annoy the one girl you hate most. . . ."

He was silent for a minute. "I don't hate you . . . at least, not more than I hate Sakura . . . or Ino." A pause. "I don't hate you at all, really. . . ."

I felt the urge to stare at him. I fought that urge.

"I've decided . . . I don't care who you train with." And he was gone.

I stared into the direction he had disappeared to, but otherwise continued walking. If he'd changed his mind about walking with me, it was none of my business why. I found Neji meditating behind the Hyuuga manor and I almost didn't want to interrupt.

He opened one eye. "Star, you've come." He stood quickly, fluidly. "Have you come ready to train?"

I nodded. "Don't take it easy on me, Neji. Not even a little bit. I have some restoring blood with me, so if I get too out of it, I'll take a sip and continue training. I want to get as much training done today as I can. I want this mastered. I will train until I drop, if need be."

A small shine came into his eyes. I realized, with shock, it was pride. He was proud of me. "I understand perfectly."

I smiled. "Thanks."

He sat down. "Sit. Clear your mind, close your eyes. Listen to my voice only."

I sat, cleared my mind-which was easy, since I always meditated-and I obeyed.

"Now somewhere inside you, there is the part of your power that controls your eyes. You need to let that part out. Find it, let that part free. Stop forcing your eyes to shut down. Let that part of you that you keep locked up out."

I tried, I looked for that part of me, but it was hard. "It always activates when I'm in danger. That's when it activates most."

I heard him stand, but kept my eyes shut. "I see. Star, stand up, face me. We'll fight, but you'll be incapacitated." I felt him channel his chakra into his eyes and he said, "Byakugan," softly.

I stood and, eyes opening, saw that he was ready to fight. "What am I supposed to do?"

"You aren't going to do anything. . . . Hinata is. . . ." As he said this, Hinata walked past me. Her eyes were downcast and she was blushing ever so slightly.

"What's going on?" I asked, relaxing my pose.

"Hinata and I are going to fight. If you want to stop me from seriously wounding her," he lowered into an offensive crouch, "you'll have to activate your eyes." He turned to Hinata. "Remember the drill."

She nodded.

"Wait-I don't-"

He attacked, hitting Hinata with 64 palms attack. She gasped, let out little pained cries, but didn't try to defend herself. Afterward, he kept attacking while she didn't defend until she could barely stand on her feet.

It was shortly after then that I realized she wouldn't fight back and he wasn't going to stop until I made him. I focused my energy, tried as hard as I could, failed, tried three more times, but didn't actually activate my eyes until Hinata fell. Then I let out a growl and my eyes just changed. I could see everything then. I could tell where would be the best place to attack Neji or Hinata. Everything seemed to have a glow to it now: everything was so bright. It hurt and I gasped, covering my eyes with my hand. When the pain faded, I looked back up, studying the scene before me. My eyes were activated and it was brighter and clearer than I was used to, but I could stand it.

Neji stopped, looked up with a small, small smile. "I thought so. . . ." There was another kind of gleam in his eyes, one that said he knew this would work.

"Now what?" I asked, feeling slightly proud of myself.

"Now . . . we train until _you _drop."

Hinata, as though nothing had happened, stood. I saw it then. She had been acting the whole time. It made me smile. She was good.

It was really late by the time I'd run out of blood and energy. Finally, knowing that it was time to throw in the towel, I stopped training and started home, hugging Hinata and smiling at Neji before I left. It wasn't long before I felt like I was being followed. I turned, to find some unknown guy drop down from one of the nearby trees. I crouched, in attack mode. "Who are you?"

He stepped closer, smothered in a black robe. One hand reached out toward me, yet he was so far away. He was short, only about an inch taller than my present height and I wondered if he was finished growing. I was only 4'11". I assumed he was older than I was. His hand was still outstretched, reaching for me, as he stepped even closer. His head raised up and the hood fell away-revealing a face. It wasn't a man, or even an adult at all. It was a girl. It was a girl my age, who looked almost exactly like me. She had light blond hair and light blue eyes, was pale and beautiful, graceful, as she moved closer to me. Her pale, pink lips opened and one word came from a musical, beautiful voice. "Help."

I sat up straight, breathing hard, looking around. I was in a place I didn't recognize, in the middle of the woods. Wait . . . No, I did recognize this place. I'd gotten this far before I'd passed out last night. I hadn't even made it home. What had awakened me?

"Good, you're up," someone said. Someone familiar. "You have just enough time to go home, clean up and meet us where Kakashi said to meet us."

I stood, looking up at Sasuke. "What are you doing here?"

"I was on my way to the meet-up spot and I came across you." He smirked. "Seems like you trained hard last night. Did Neji finally find a way to pass you up in power?"

My only excuse for snapping at him the way I did was that I'd dreamt of who I thought was one of my sisters. I said, "That's none of your business, Uchiha! And even if he did, like I'd tell _you _anyway!" I heard the words come from my mouth and I immediately wanted to take them back. I opened my mouth to say that and he interrupted.

His eyes were narrowed when he asked, "Are you okay?"

I froze. "W-what?"

"Are you okay?" he asked, enunciating each word slowly.

"Y-you've never asked me if I was okay before. Why are you asking now?"

He shrugged. "You never snap at me so easily, or quickly, and a second after you snapped like that, a look passed over your face like you were about to apologize." His eyes studied mine. "Did something happen?"

I shook my head, looking down. "N-no . . . I just . . . I had a . . . bad dream. . . ."

It shocked me when, a moment later, he put his hand on my shoulder, other hand moving to cup my chin in his palm to make me look at him. "What about?" he asked softly.

I tried to look away and his hand tightened. "About my sister. . . ."

"Which one?" He never missed a stride. It made me remember he still had possession of my notebook.

I shrugged. "I don't remember her name, but I recognized her face because . . . she looked so much like me, but she was so . . . I don't know, beautiful and graceful and elegant." I paused, unable to go on for a minute. "Then she reached for me and said, 'Help.' That was all she said. 'Help.' I think she's in trouble. I have to get to her. I have to find her."

"And what are you going to do if you find her?"

"Help her, of course."

"No, I mean, Star, you're not strong enough to pair off against any real enemy. Your only hope of helping your sister is by getting stronger. That means, staying here and training and getting stronger. I know you want to help your sister, but the only way to do that is to get stronger. You can't help her if you're not strong enough to." His eyes hardened. "That's the only way to help her. Get stronger, you'll help your sister."

"But what if I'm too late? I can't just-"

"What do you plan to do at your low power level?" he asked harshly. "Get captured along with her?"

"Yes, if that means I can be there for her."

"Then someone would have to rescue _you!"_

That stopped me. He was right, of course. He was right. I sighed. "I'm sorry."

"For?"

"I'm sorry for arguing with you. You're right. I know that. I just . . . It's hard to sit back and do nothing while I know my sister is in danger."

He seemed thoughtful for a minute. "I'll walk you to your house," he said quietly.

I started walking home, him beside me. He was silent the whole way there, waiting silently for me to shower, change and get ready. When I came out of the bathroom, he was leaning against my living room wall, still thinking.

On our way there, at least ten minutes later, he finally spoke. "If you're that worried about her," he said, voice calm, "tell Kakashi. He might be able to help."

I almost stiffened with shock. He was right. Again. I stared at him. "Kakashi-Sensei?" I shook my head a moment later. "I-I can't. . . ."

"Why not?" he asked.

I blushed. "What would I say? 'Sensei, I had a dream about a girl that looked like she could be one of my twins and now I think she's alive and in trouble and I want to help her, but I don't know what to do or where she is or even what her name is'?"

"Yes. Tell him that."

I scowled. "That's ridiculous!"

"Exactly. At the least, it'll get his attention and you'll be able to explain a little about it, now won't you?"

That stopped me. He had a point. Dammit. "Maybe."

"Try it. What have you got to lose?"

Nothing. "Okay. I'll try it, but I'm splitting up from you. I don't want to arrive with you at the same time. I don't want anyone thinking I like you."

He smirked. "Same here," he said, and we both went different directions.

I glared at the bell that still hung around Kakashi-Sensei's waist, calculating how fast I would have to be to get to it. I darted in, but he saw it coming. He parried, dodged my advance, and I spun. A blue blur rushed in front of me as I jumped up onto the branch of a tree, moving to another tree. I glared as Sasuke darted in and yanked the belt free as Kakashi-Sensei was still reacting to my head-on attack. He was gone before he was even noticed. Something dropped down in front of me and I looked up into black, black eyes. "What, Uchiha?"

He grabbed my open hand, dropped something warm and metal into it, dropped down from the tree and was gone before I'd even realized he'd given me the bell he'd just gotten. I stared at him, shocked, as he closed in on the bell that Kakashi had set a trap next to. He let Naruto get caught in the trap and right as Naruto sprung the trap, his hand quickly closed around the bell and he flashed away, landing behind Sensei with the bell dangling cockily from his hand.

Kakashi-Sensei's eyes widened and he reached for the bell that no longer hung at his waist, eyes widening slightly more. "Well, well . . . seems I've underestimated you four. Who has the other bell?"

I jumped down, holding the bell in sight.

"But I thought . . . Oh, never mind. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I'm beginning to like this group. You can all stay, but there will still be major punishment for the two who didn't get bells." His eye landed on Naruto and Sakura. Naruto, still hanging from the tree, gulped loudly.

I smiled, glancing at Sasuke. Why had he handed his bell over to me? Why had he taken the chance that he would be left behind? Why had he done that?

Kakashi smiled-I think. It was hard to tell with his face covered mostly. "Okay, I'm going to tie Sakura and Naruto to those posts over there. Then we'll eat! How does that sound?"

Sasuke smirked. "Hm."

"What? HEY!" Naruto yelled angrily.

"But, Sensei, that's not fair!"

"You two didn't get a bell. Therefore, you are to be punished . . . you'll have to pay the price."


	5. Gaara Arrives

I ran, as fast as I could. The man chasing me was someone I knew well. I didn't want to face him-and he'd managed to stab me with an iron blade. I was injured, bleeding, barely able to breathe now. It was time for the Chuunin Exams, and now I was about to die. Or be raped. How nice. All the teammates that had come from other villages were here-at least most of them. A kunai hit me, square in the back, knocking me down. I screamed. It was iron. "No, no you won't! I won't let you!" I yelled, getting to my feet and running. "I won't!" I ran harder, faster, through the trees. A path cleared before me and I tripped over something, falling hard. I got to my hands and knees, looked up slightly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone. I scrambled to my knees, looking toward the boy that had caught my attention.

It was dark, very dark, but my eyes could easily make out his features, even though I had yet to be able to activate them. He had red hair and light, light teal eyes. A "love" kanji on his forehead and a giant gourd on his back. His arms were crossed and he was wearing dark clothing. He screamed both "desert" and "dangerous," but I didn't feel he would hurt me. His eyes were dead, with a small, tiny bit of curiosity in them.

I looked back as I heard the other man nearing me. I tried to stand, but the wound in my back made that next to impossible. I crumbled back down to my hands and knees, gasping for air and coughing up blood. He must've hit a lung with his first attack. I turned just in time to see him crash through the trees-and get caught by a large amount of sand. My eyes widened and the sand tightened around his body. He screamed, but it was too late-blood splattered everywhere, all around me, but not hitting me. I looked over to see that the other boy had raised one hand, eyes hard and intent on my grandfather. His hand fell and what remained of my grandfather fell to the ground while the sand retreated to inside his gourd. He turned his back and started to walk away.

"W-wait," I said softly. He didn't stop, so I repeated it again. "Pl-please, wait!"

He stilled.

I stood, stumbling a bit, barely able to remain on my feet. "I-I want . . . I want to thank you."

He started to walk off again.

I ran to stand in front of him, pleading with my eyes. He was almost exactly my height, maybe a centimeter taller. "Please. I want to repay you for your troubles. If you'll follow me?"

He inclined his head ever so slightly in a way I took to mean "yes" and when I turned and started leading him back to my home, he followed.

I went inside, inviting him in, as well. He stood awkwardly by the door, studying me with barely contained curiosity. I scurried around my kitchen. I loved to cook and I was very good at it. In less than a half-hour, while he stood there patiently and not moving, I had two dozen cupcakes made. I put them in two containers and walked to him, carrying them. "Take them. For you and your team."

A moment passed. I didn't think he'd take them, but he reached his arms out and took them from me.

I turned. "One more thing," I said, and retrieved the newly-made boxed cake from my fridge. I'd planned to keep it until tomorrow and use it to celebrate all four of my team making it here. Now I decided to give it to him. "Can you carry all three or do you need help?"

He gave me a look that clearly said he could carry them, so I set the box atop the two cupcake containers.

"Thank you for helping me. I am . . . I am grateful." I bowed my head slightly. "I am Star."

"Gaara," he said, speaking for the first time. I almost let my shock override me at his voice-such a deep, low voice for someone so small. It was a voice that was as soft and smooth as it was deep.

"It was nice to meet you. Again . . . thanks, really. I-if you want anything more, I'll be glad to help out." I smiled at him.

He studied me more, as though he'd never seen anything like me before. A small inclination of his head and he turned away, left.

I watched him disappear, feeling the last of my strength ebb away. I felt exhausted. I need to rest and hope that the high content of iron in my blood didn't kill me before the blood loss did. . . .

I lowered myself in a chair, closing my eyes for what felt like a moment. The next thing I knew, I felt three people in my kitchen. I didn't open my eyes, didn't move a muscle. I just listened.

"This is where you got those cupcakes?" a girl asked. Silence. "Why did she give you cupcakes?" I wondered for a minute if my blood had gotten onto any of the cupcakes and had been consumed, or if they disliked my cupcakes or the cake, but I didn't move.

"Are you sure this is the girl that baked them? She looks nearly dead," a guy said. More silence. "Wow, she must have gotten into a fight beforehand! Is that what happened? Did you save her?" More silence.

I twitched, I couldn't help it. The scent of something refreshing had hit me. Someone had moved closer and their blood scent was appetizing. It had a female feel to it and usually I don't like female blood, but this was different. Most female blood scents were sweet. This blood was just slightly sweet with a quality that was light, warm and strong, like wind.

"She's alive," the girl said.

Someone poked me. I opened my eyes to a boy wearing war-paint and a hood that looked like it had ears. There seemed to be something strapped to his back. "Hey, you're alive."

I nodded. "Yes, of course I am. Who are you?" I looked around, met light teal eyes. My eyes traveled to my closed door. "What's going on?"

"When we got here, you were passed out in that chair and your door was wide open, so we just came in," the boy said.

"Yea. We thought you were dead, but Gaara said that you're the one who made the cupcakes."

"Yes, I am." I straightened up. "Was there anything wrong with the cupcakes?"

The boy with the hood shook his head. "No. I just wanted to make sure he didn't kill you for the cupcakes."

I shook my head at him. "No, I'm quite alive."

"You really gave my little brother cupcakes? And a cake?" the guy asked again, staring between me and Gaara. "Really? You invited him into your house long enough for you to make cupcakes that will still warm when they got to us?"

I nodded.

"You're brave," he said, grinning. "We should take her home with us-she could make more cupcakes! They're delicious, by the way."

"Gaara even had one . . . he almost never eats anything sweet like that, but they were very good." The girl smiled. "I'm Temari."

"I'm Kankuro."

"I'm Star."

Kankuro seemed to find that amusing. "Maybe that's why he didn't kill her!" he laughing said.

I didn't reply. Didn't know _how _to reply.

"So what happened to you, anyway?" Temari asked, shooting a glare at the guy.

"I was attacked by my grandfather. Your teammate saved my life."

She and Kankuro turned as one to stare at Gaara. He remained unflinching, unmoving under their stares, still studying me as though he'd never seen anything like me. It made me feel like a specimen in a scientific tank. . . .

"_He _saved your life? Our Gaara, this one right here?" Kankuro nearly yelped.

I nodded. "Yes." I was feeling drained. "Actually, if there's nothing else . . . I need to rest. I'm really drained."

"Yea, sure. We just wanted to make sure Gaara didn't kill anyone."

"Thanks for the cupcakes!"

Gaara gave a small nod to me before turning to lead his team out.

I waited a few minutes before I knew that they were gone, then I crept out. I needed to find blood. Badly. I wondered into the forest, meaning to get to Bloody Rose, but I must've blacked out again because the next thing I knew, someone was calling my name. I opened my eyes, staring up into light teal eyes. For a moment, I didn't recognize those eyes, but once I saw the black rims, I knew who it was. "G-Gaara?"

He said nothing. There was no change in his demeanor that let me know he'd heard me.

"What-what happened?"

"You passed out. Probably from blood loss."

"Bl-blood . . . I need . . . I need blood. . . ."

"What?"

"I need to drink someone's blood . . . or I'm going . . . I'm going to die. I need to drink powerful blood . . . I can't . . . I can't move anymore."

"Blood. . . ." He looked up, away from me, and I realized I was propped up on sand. "I'll be right back," he said. A second later, he had stood and jumped over me, the sand crumbling beneath me.

I let myself drift for awhile. I was brought back only by something being placed against my mouth-something cold . . . and wet. What felt like a grainy hand, maybe a hand made out of sand, pushed on my chin to open my mouth and something warm, almost hot filled my mouth. I recognized the scent of that girl's blood, mixed with someone else's blood. Confusion settled in me, but I swallowed the blood. New energy flooded me and I felt myself heal. I tried to move, but something heavy was holding me down.

"Don't move, yet. Your body is healing," Gaara said softly. When I opened my eyes, he was watching one of the stab wounds on me disappear. My shirt had ridden up enough for him to see that wound, but not far enough for me to want to pull it down.

I almost coughed on the blood, but I swallowed it until the cup was empty. I realized the sand was holding the cup there. I licked my lips clean and the cup was gone and teal eyes met mine. "Why?" I asked, curiosity inside me. "Why help me twice?"

He was silent, eyes troubled by the question-or perhaps by his own answer to the question. The sand moved away from me, retreating into the gourd.

I sat up. "Gaara?" I asked, moving my hand to touch him-

By the way he reacted, I expected something bad to happen because his eyes widened and he almost said, "Don't touch me," but when my hand softly landed on his arm, his eyes widened more and he looked down to see my hand perched delicately on his arm. His mouth was slightly ajar from shock. He closed it, eyes still wide, and looked up at me. "Y-you touched me."

I cocked my head to the side, confused, drawing my hand back. "Am I not allowed to? I didn't mean to-"

He reached forward, cutting my sentence off, and placed his hands on my shoulders, eyes widening more. His eyes came up to meet mine and there was shock, almost fear in them. "You . . . you are no threat to me. None whatsoever." I almost found insult to that, thinking he was saying I was weaker than he was, but I heard the truth behind those words. He felt not that I _couldn't _hurt him, but that I _wouldn't. _It seemed to shock him for some reason. His hands, rough, slid down my arms, almost as if he was shocked that he could touch me at all, almost as if he'd never felt skin-to-skin before.

I stared at him, concentrating. I went into his head just far enough to know that he never had experienced skin-to-skin like that before. That nobody had ever touched him. I didn't go further, but I could feel a gray cloud hanging in his mind, like he had a lot of darkness, a lot of pain inside him. I did the one thing I knew how to do: I looked him in the eye, slowly moved closer and slid my arms around his waist, tentatively hugging him.

He was stiff for a moment and just as I began to draw away, his arms came around me in a crushing embrace. He didn't seem to realize just how strong he was, but I didn't care. I didn't mind. I let him hold onto me because I knew that it eased some kind of grayness in his mind. His breathing was slightly stilted, slightly unsure, like he was about to have a breakdown, but he held himself steady, didn't break, didn't move for a long time. When he did move away, his eyes were earnestly searching mine. "Why did you do that?" he asked, voice softer than normal. "Why did you hug me?"

I looked down, away. "I just . . . I know what it's like to feel so alone. . . ."

His breath caught.

"I know what it's like to have everyone hate you, to have everyone hurt you." I looked up at him now. "I know what it's like to have immense pain inside you and to never be able to let it out."

He drew back a bit, eyes uncertain. "You . . . know?"

"I know," I said, sliding my arms around him again. "And I don't want you to feel alone anymore, Gaara." I rested my head against his shoulder, leaning into him, letting him know he had control of the hug.

He crushed me to him again, holding onto me for what seemed like hours. When he did pull away, I thought I caught a glimmer in his eyes, a sadness that had been lifted. He reluctantly stood. "My siblings must be wondering where I am." He looked down at me, offered a hand.

I took it, knowing it meant a lot to him for me to do so, and let him help me to my feet, even placing my hand on his arm to steady myself. "My team is probably going to be meeting soon, too."

He nodded. "Yes." His eyes were downcast, as though he was too shy to meet my eyes. There was a blush on his face. "I . . . thank you, Star."

"For what?"

"For touching me. For not fearing me." Slowly, his eyes moved up to meet mine. "For letting me know maybe I . . . I'm not so alone."

I smiled at him. "Thank you for saving my life."

"You're welcome."

"You can say that I've repaid you." I smiled wider.

A tiny, tiny, tiny smile. "No . . . I am in your debt now."

"How so?"

"I saved your life . . . you've saved my soul."

I almost hugged him again, but I held myself back. "Any time," I said, eyes smiling at him, but face trying for serious.

He inclined his head slightly. "Any time." He walked around me, not another word.

I stood there for just a second, then left, walking quickly. It wasn't long before I realized I was being followed. I stopped, turned and came face-to-face with the Uchiha again.

He was _furious. _"What were you _doing? _Do you even _realize _how dangerous he is! He could've killed you! He could've done anything to you and there was _nobody _to stop him! Do you _need _a babysitter to keep you safe all day _and _night?" His black, black eyes were roiling in rage. I'd never seen him so mad.

"Uchiha-"

"No, don't you 'Uchiha' me! You never listen when it's best for you, but this has _got _to stop! You can't just go around and fraternize with murderers, with people everyone knows are bad news and expect to come away without a scratch! What happens to this team if you get killed? What happens to your sister? Did you think about that? Did you think at all?"

"But I-"

"There's no excuse for that! Do you realize what you put me through when I realized you were with someone so dangerous? Do you realize what I went through when I went to your house only to find the door broken in and blood all over the place? What happened? I want to know _now!" _

I nodded. "I was attacked-"

"_By?" _

"My grandfather."

"Go on."

"And I was running away, trying to get away from him, when I ran into Gaara. He killed my grandfather and saved my life, then came back to save my life again by giving me blood. If it wasn't for that murderer, I'd be dead." I glared at him. "Gaara is not a murderer. He's just misunderstood."

"Do you realize what you're saying?"

"Yes. He saved my life twice. At least be happy for that. If it hadn't been for him, you wouldn't be able to bitch at me right now, now would you?"

That shut him up. For a second. "Why didn't you come to me when you were attacked? Did you think of that?"

Honestly, no . . . I hadn't. I said as much.

"And why not?"

"All I was thinking about was getting away. You've read what was in that notebook, but you don't know everything that man did to me. I was too scared to fight back, too scared to think or do much of anything."

"Freezing in battle is a weakness, Star. You don't tolerate weaknesses any more than I do."

"Yes, but you don't know what he did to me. The kind of terror he inspires in me when I think of him." I hesitated. "The kind of hatred and fear and horror and disgust and shame he inspires in me. I was afraid that if I killed him, questions would be asked and it would get out, what he did to me. What he sold me for. I was just afraid."

"That is no excuse-what do you mean, what he sold you for?" His eyes narrowed. "While we're on this subject, what _did _he do to you?"

I clenched my mouth shut, instantly wanting to kick myself. I shook my head.

"No, don't you shut me out now. Tell me. I'm your teammate. I need to know your weaknesses so that I can be prepared if one of them is exploited."

That made sense, but there was no way this particular thing could be exploited. . . .

"Star, what happened?"

I felt trapped. I couldn't run-I knew he'd catch me. I couldn't lie-I knew he'd find out. I didn't want to tell the truth and face his disgust of me. What could I do? I sighed and broke. I told him. "He sold me, let others hurt me." I looked away, the shame in me building.

"Sold you for?"

"Nothing important." I looked away, eyes watering.

His hands were suddenly at my shoulders, tight enough I winced. "Tell me."

"Sex."

He was frozen for a moment, then his hands dropped away and he lowered his head until his hair covered all but his mouth. "That Gaara killed him, right?" he asked, voice dead, emotionless.

"Yes."

His fists were clenched. I could smell a spicy scent as his nails tore through his skin to the blood underneath. "I hope it was painful. . . ."

Being crushed probably was. . . . I did not say this out loud. "I just know he's dead."

"That's too bad . . . I'd love to be able to rip him apart myself!" He raised his head and his eyes were different now. It was at this moment that I was forcibly reminded that he was of Uchiha blood, that he had the Sharingan in his blood, that he had it activated. Right now, it was activated and his eyes were burning. He took one step to me, reached out and was crushing me to him the next second. "Why didn't you ever say anything?" he asked softly.

"Why would I have?"

"I mean, you never told anyone that he was selling you?"

"Back where we were living, it was normal. If I was still living there, I'd have been forced to marry someone at this age."

His arms tightened around me and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. This embrace was more constricting than Gaara's and I had a moment to wonder if Sasuke was stronger than he was or if Gaara had actually been gentler with me than I'd thought. "Dammit," he breathed, breath caressing my ear. "I never thought I'd be hugging you. . . ."

Neither did I, but, actually, it felt . . . nice. Safe. I relaxed into him, bringing my arms up between his chest and mine and fisting my hands in his shirt, at his shoulders, hanging onto him and leaning my head against his shoulder. The difference in height made it easier to lean into him and for just a short time, I let myself lean on him, I let myself rely on his strength. I let him be my strength. I was crying just slightly as I held onto him. Then, when I felt it had gone on long enough, I pushed at his chest just slightly and he drew back.

His eyes were worried. "Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yes." I added timidly, "Thank you . . . Sasuke."

He smiled slightly. "My name. . . . that's the first time you've ever said my name."

"Yea."

"I like it." His eyes hardened. "Never tell anyone I hugged you."

I laughed. "You have _no _need to worry about that!" Then an evil, little smirk came across my face. "Or . . . I could tell every fan girl within radius that you're a hugger . . . I could let them know that if they come up to you and hold you for a long time, whether you struggle or not, you like it."

He scowled. "You wouldn't dare."

My smirk widened. "I would."

He smirked. "In that case, I'll let everyone know that you still sleep with a stuffed animal. Or I could let it out that your notebook is filled with drawings of me. . . ."

I blushed. "Okay, I won't say anything. And my notebook is filled with drawings of everyone."

"Not Sakura, Ino or . . . well, anyone else but me, Hinata and Kiba. They're even all dated."

I glared at him. "Speaking of my notebook, can I have it back?"

He seemed to think about it. "Not yet. I'm not done with it, yet."

"How can you not be done with it!"

He smiled. "Easily. I'm just not ready to give it back. . . ."

I glared at him again. "You are evil."

"Hm." He smirked at me, a devious glint in his eyes. "Is that why you like me?"

I blushed. "W-what? Are you insane?" I launched at him, meaning to attack him.

He side-stepped, foot-sweeping my feet out from under me and I fell to my hands and knees. He dropped to his knees beside me. "Maybe I am, but your reaction tells me I'm right."

I blushed darker and cursed at him, which made him laugh, for some odd reason. I attacked him, then, while he was laughing, wrestling in close combat, trying to get at least one hit on him. I almost had him pinned when he stopped playing and really began to try. Seconds later, I was on my stomach with my arms twisted behind my back, him straddling my waist. I cursed at him again. "Damn you!"

"Once more, your reaction tells me I'm correct," he said in an offhand manner.

I struggled against him. "Damn you! You are so damn arrogant!"

"But right." He let me up.

I stood quickly, dusting myself off, refusing to look at him.

"Tell me I'm wrong, Star. Look me in my eyes and tell me I'm wrong. Without blushing or looking away."

Not looking away would be easy. It was the blushing part that I knew I couldn't do. I blushed at everything. "Look, I blush at everything and you know it. Just because I blush-"

"It wasn't just the blushing," he retorted in an almost angry way. "It's everything. The drawings you've drawn, the blushing, the way you attacked me when I said that."

I glared at him.

"Then there's that." He brushed off an invisible speck. "It appears that the drawings were drawn shortly after fights we had, since they're dated and have captions under them." He shrugged. "I figure that the reason you draw after the fights is because you have a lot of tension to work out and by the way you draw with an intensity, drawing me seems to help ease that tension. I think that the main difference to the drawings of me and Kiba is that his are lightly done. The ones drawn of me are more heavy, darker, like you're angry when you draw them." He seemed thoughtful for a minute. "Or like you were concentrating more."

I blushed. "Can we _please _get off this topic?"

He smirked. "Ah, more concentration, I see."

The blush darkened. "If you don't drop this, I'll go and find Gaara! I'm sure he wouldn't try to make me blush. . . ."

His eyes darkened. "You wouldn't."

"Try me." I glared at him. In the next second, I was draped over his shoulder and being carried somewhere. "What-what are you doing!"

"You think I'm going to let you even try to go back to him, you're totally nuts."

"Put me down!"

"Not until we're far enough away from this area that you cannot make that threat again, idle or not."

I tried to kick him, but he put on arm below my knees and one arm above my knees, which kept my legs nicely immobile. Finding no other options, I growled and crossed my arms. "This is very undignified, I hope you know that!"

"Should've thought about that before you threatened to run off with a murderer. . . ."

"He is not a murderer! He's a sweet boy. You'd know that if you didn't have your head-"

He froze. "Hm, looks like this is your lucky day." He set me back down, two minutes before Naruto ran into sight. "Naruto?" he questioned, raising one brow.

"Come with me, Sasuke, hurry! I need your help!"

He glared at him. "What makes you think I'll go anywhere with you? Loser."

"Sasuke, please? I really need your help."

"Is it a ramen bill again?"

"No."

"Then what?"

He glanced at me, then at Sasuke. "It's . . . I have . . . I want to talk to you about something important. I need your advice."

Sasuke sighed. "Fine. Let's go. This better be over in ten minutes." He turned to me. "And _you _better be here when I return." He stalked off, following Naruto.

I sighed, turned-eyes meeting light teal, angry, black-rimmed eyes. Gaara stepped forward and started toward Sasuke-I grabbed his arm, forcing him to look down at me. "Gaara, what's wrong?"

"He was trying to keep you away from me."

"So you heard that last part, did you?"

He nodded.

I smiled. "Come on, Gaara. Let's give him a taste of his own medicine!" Tightening my grip on his arm, I pulled him with me silently. I looked back to give him a devious smile and amusement seeped into his eyes. "Where should we go?" I felt myself being lifted-I looked down to see sand lifting both me and Gaara into the air.

"I'll find someplace," he said casually, as though we weren't flying.

I hated heights. I gripped his arm with both hands, standing closer to him now.

He looked down at me, raising one brow. "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid of heights."

One eye twitched, a corner of his mouth turned up in wry amusement. "You're afraid to fly, but you're not afraid to touch me or be near me."

I looked up at him. "Why would I fear you?"

The words seemed to make him tense, made his eyes widen in shock and disbelief. "You don't fear me at all, do you?"

I shook my head. "Should I?"

"Everyone else does."

I smiled. "Then they don't know what they're missing. It's their loss."

His eyes widened. "W-what?"

"You're awesome," I said, touching his arm, "even I can see that. If they can't, then that's _their _problem."

A small blush. I wanted to hug him again. "Thank you."

Then I did hug him, softly, gently. "You're welcome." I pulled back, smiling at him. The sand deposited us in a large clearing and I stepped away from him, looking around. I suddenly felt . . . happy. I turned to Gaara, eyes smiling at him and lips trying to be serious.

There was instantly a wary, yet amused look on his face. It was as though he knew I was going to do something.

And I was! I did. I started dancing. First just spinning around in a circle, then getting more complex and finally, I danced a circle around him. In the middle of one circle, I stopped, grabbed his hand and said, "Dance with me."

He blushed. "I-I don't . . . I don't know how."

I smiled. "I'll teach you. Put one hand at my waist," I said, bringing his hand out to the side and twining my fingers with his.

He placed his hand right above my hip. "Here?"

"A little higher."

His hand found my waist.

"Yea, there."

He looked a question at me.

I placed the front right half of my body against the front left half of his, as is proper so that nobody will step on anyone's feet. "Okay, see how we're positioned? It's so our legs go between each other's, so nobody's feet gets trampled. Plus, it's the formal, proper way to do it and it makes it easier to spin."

He nodded, the blush still on his face.

"Okay, I'll lead first. You just follow my lead, okay? That means, you do the opposite as I do. I'm going to step forward with my right foot; you'll go back with your left. Got it?"

Again, a nod. He seemed to be staring downwards at his feet.

I laughed softly. "Look up, Gaara. You'll do fine. Don't worry."

When he looked up, he was blushing.

"Ready?" A nod and I started; he followed. I taught him to dance and it wasn't hard. He was a fast learner. Fast enough that within twenty minutes, he'd taken over as the lead. Apparently he was more a leader than a follower. I could've guessed that.

He spun me quickly, taking me off-guard and pushing my thoughts back to him. A small smile greeted me when we were back in position. I think he did it on purpose because he'd noticed my mind had wondered.

I smiled back at him, letting him lead, and we danced. There was no music, none but the sounds of the wind and the animals in the wood, but we danced to it. It was both the silliest thing I'd ever done and the most fun. "So what do you think?" I asked, still smiling.

"I like dancing," he said softly.

I'd noticed. I think what he enjoyed most of dancing is the physical touching. He seemed to really enjoy that I wasn't afraid to touch him. I think he enjoyed knowing that there was one person that wasn't afraid of _him. _My mind wondered-this time without my consent. I could see someone in my mind's eye. She was screaming, crying out for help. Her name, I couldn't remember, but when she looked up at me, her face was so much mine, but different. Light, light blond hair, light blue eyes-I think I'd fainted, because the next thing I knew, Gaara was calling my name in a worried tone and I was pulled into his lap. "W-what happened?"

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

I sat up. "I had a vision," I whispered. I'd never told anyone I had visions. Why I said this in front of him, I didn't know, but I suddenly felt frantic. I looked up at Gaara with wide eyes. "She's in danger," I whispered again.

"Who is?" he asked, voice concerned, frantic. "Who's in danger? What happened?"

"My sister." I closed my eyes, shook my head. I hadn't brought this up to Kakashi-Sensei like Sasuke had suggested, but now I regretted it. "And I can't do anything to help. I need to get stronger!" I clenched my fists.

"Star, what's going on?"

"I-I have visions . . . sometimes of the future and sometimes of the past and sometimes of the present. I don't know what this was. I don't know if it was present or future, but I _know _if I don't find her, something bad will happen!" I closed my eyes and, in an instant, I had my arms locked around his throat, face against his chest. "I can't lose her. She's all I have of my family," I gasped.

His arms were around me instantly, gently. "It's okay. We'll find her."

I looked up at the 'we'll' part. "W-what?"

"We'll find her. I'll send my siblings out to search tonight and after the Chuunin Exams, we'll have more time to search. We'll find your sister and we'll save her."

"Gaara, I can't ask you to do that."

"You didn't. I decided to do it." His eyes were serious. "I'll find your sister and I'll bring her home. No matter what it takes."

"How can you be so sure you can do that?"

"Because I'm determined."

"Gaara. . . ."

"I'll bring her home, Star." He put his hand to my cheek, bringing my face up to look at him. "That's a promise. I'll bring her home."

"Why?" I asked, voice soft.

"Because you're the first person I've met that has shown me something different than fear or hatred. You're not afraid of me, even after you saw me kill someone in front of you. You invited me into your home, not knowing whether or not I would kill you, too. You weren't afraid I'd hurt you. You just . . . accepted me. Nobody's ever done that before." His voice softened. "Now I'm going to do what I can to make sure you're safe and happy. If that means finding your sister, that's what I'll do."

"Do me a favor, when you find her?"

"What?"

"Don't save her, yet, come get me first. I want to be there." My eyes hardened. "I want to kill anyone who's touched her or hurt her."

A small smile. "Easily done."

I smiled at him. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me until I've found her."

I nodded. "If we're going to find her, that means I need to get stronger." I pushed away from him and stood. "Care to spar?"

His eyes widened. "I don't know that's such a good idea. I don't want to hurt you."

"I won't be-"

He shook his head. "No. I won't take a chance of hurting you." He stood. "That's another of my promises. I'll never hurt you."

I stared at him, then smiled. "I'm not so easily breakable, but . . . I understand." I hugged him again. "Thanks."

"Thanks for understanding."

I heard my name being called. The stiffening of his body let me know he'd heard, too. I groaned. "Idiot calls." I smiled at him, hugging him again. "I'll see you later?"

He nodded. "Yes. I'll tell my siblings of the search."

"Thanks, again."

"You're welcome."

I turned, waving over my shoulder, and ran in the direction his voice had come from. It wasn't long before I found Sasuke, with Hinata and Kiba at his side. "Hey, Kiba, Hinata, what's up?"

"We were looking for you," Kiba said. "We were worried because I saw your kitchen. Are you okay?"

I nodded. "Yes. I am fine."

"You're lucky Kiba and Hinata found me before I took that kid out," Sasuke growled.

I stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw you with him."

"So? He's my friend."

"He's dangerous."

"So am I. So are you."

He growled. "Kiba, Hinata, if you'll excuse us," he said, stalking up to me and gripping my arm in a harsh grasp. "We have something to discuss." Neither one of them even glanced at me as they moved away quickly. I think that they knew he was capable of hurting them if they did. He pulled me along with him, not toward the clearing Gaara and I had been in, but in the opposite direction. He didn't stop until we hit a different clearing, then he pulled me in front of him. "What were you thinking? I saw you dancing with him. You're lucky I heard Kiba and Hinata coming closer! If I hadn't heard them, I would've broken up that little farce!"

"He's my friend. Why do you care so much?"

"He's dangerous, Star. Can't you see that?"

I growled. "He is _not _dangerous! He wouldn't even spar with me because he was afraid of hurting me!" If I hadn't been defending Gaara, I don't think I'd have said what I said next. "Besides, I don't think you're worried about me getting hurt. I think you're just jealous!"

His entire body stiffened and his eyes widened, then narrowed. "What would I have to be jealous about?" His voice was calm, even. It was that voice that let me know I was right.

I felt my breath freeze in my throat. "You _are _jealous."

"I am not!" he said angrily.

I felt the urge to hug him. "I don't know, why _would _you be jealous?"

"I'm not."

"You and I don't even like each other. We're always fighting. We never get along. In all the time we've known each other, have we ever had a meeting during which we weren't fighting?"

He studied me. "I thought we were getting along better recently."

I shrugged. "Yea, maybe so, but why would you have any reasons to be jealous? I mean, Gaara and I are friends, just like Kiba and I are friends and Hinata and I are friends and Neji and I are friends. So what reasons would you have to be jealous?"

"You've never danced with Kiba or Neji," he pointed out, voice coolly informative.

"You're jealous because I danced with him? You don't even like dancing."

"First of all, I am _not _jealous. Second of all, I do like dancing. I just don't like doing it in front of anyone."

"If you weren't jealous of it, you wouldn't have felt the need to add that you do like dancing."

He scowled. "I am not jealous."

"I was hyper, okay? I do things like that when I'm hyper. You've never seen me hyper."

"I've seen you playing with Akamaru and Kiba and Hinata."

"But you've never seen me hyper. It happens rarely and only around a few people." I almost instantly regretted the "few people" comment because his eyes narrowed.

"Gaara just happens to be one of them."

"I guess. Besides, it meant a lot to him for me to dance with him like that. He really enjoyed it. He doesn't have anyone that's willing to touch him like that. He's never been danced with like that. It was a first for him."

He scowled. "And you just happened to be his first. Do you even take time to think about the repercussions of your actions?"

"What repercussions could my actions possibly have?" I rolled my eyes.

"Do you realize you're the first person who has shown him kindness; the first person to touch him; the first to dance with him or hug him. You're going to mean a lot to that boy now. What if he starts to feel something for you that you can't reciprocate? What will happen then? He's unstable. If he starts to like you and you're trying to just be friends, what will happen when he starts to think that you were fooling him? Or when he thinks that there's someone you like better? What would happen if he started to think that the person that's in his way is one of your friends and he tries, and possibly succeeds, killing him?"

"He wouldn't do that."

He gave me a look. "You honestly believe that if he started to fall for you and he saw you and Kiba dancing, or you and Neji hugging, that he wouldn't lose it and kill them? You said he had refused to spar with you because he didn't want to hurt you. What if he comes upon you and me sparring or Neji training you and thinks we're trying to hurt you? What do you think he would do?"

I couldn't answer that. I didn't know how to. Instead, I tried to change the subject. "Sasuke, he's not going to fall for me. I'm not falling for material."

For a moment, he said nothing to that and when he did, it shocked me. "I don't know about that, Star. Look at it the way I am. A girl goes up to a guy who is known to be ruthless, dangerous, who's known to be a murderer. Instead of running away from him or calling him a monster, she hugs him, accepts him into her life with no problems and shows him that he doesn't have to be so ruthless. You don't think that said guy would ever fall for the girl?"

I shrugged. "Why are you so worried that he's going to fall for me? It isn't going to happen."

"You don't know that."

"You don't know that he will."

He studied me for a minute. "If he sees even part of what I see in you, then, yes, I know he'll fall for you." He was gone the next moment.

I felt stunned for a minute, then I shook my head. "You _are _jealous," I said softly.


	6. Party Time

I could finally activate my eyes at will. It wasn't hard anymore. The best thing is that it couldn't have happened at a better time. Tomorrow the Chuunin Exams started. All the teams that were attending were here. I was almost able to hold my own against Neji's Byakugan with my own now. I wasn't as good at it as he was, but I was getting there and that was something.

He launched an attack at me and a wall of sand just suddenly appeared between me and him, spiking as Neji hit it. The spikes narrowly missed, but a giant hand came out of the wall, pushing Neji back. He hit the ground hard, shaking his head.

I looked over, eyes wide, to see Gaara standing about twenty feet from me, hand held out and eyes deadly on Neji. Behind him were his teammates. "G-Gaara?"

He walked over to stand in front of me, arms crossed. "Don't hurt her," he growled.

I touched his shoulder. "It's okay, Gaara. We're sparring. Neji's a friend of mine."

He looked back at me, eyes questioning. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I'm okay."

He looked back at Neji, made a small, nearly invisible nod and moved so that he wasn't blocking me anymore. "Your eyes are different," he commented. "You're a Hyuuga?"

I shrugged. "I don't know what I am, really. My dad and mom are dead."

A small nod. "I see."

"Neji is teaching me how to control my eyes."

"Hm."

I looked over at Neji. "Are you okay?"

He was standing, stoic, unharmed. "I'm fine."

"So what are you guys doing?"

"We wanted to take a walk around the village. Gaara saw you fighting that boy and he wanted to make sure you were okay," Temari said.

I smiled at him. "I'm fine," I said, mentally strangling Sasuke because he was right. "Don't worry about me."

"Is he your teammate?" Kankuro asked.

I shook my head. "Nope. I have three teammates. Kakashi-Sensei was the only one they thought would be able to handle four Ninja at once."

"Four teammates? Boy, I think I'd hate having four Ninja in one group!" Kankuro replied.

"So who is on your team?" Temari asked conversationally.

"My team consists of Uzumaki, Naruto, Uchiha, Sasuke and Haruna, Sakura."

"I've seen the Uchiha around." Kankuro grinned. "He seems like someone who's way too full of himself!"

I smiled. "He is, but he's not that bad once you get past his attitude." And the part where he has to constantly be right.

Gaara studied me. "Is he another of your friends? I've seen you arguing with him."

"He has a very brash manner, which causes us to fight more often than not. I don't know if I would say he's my friend, but I can say I don't mind him."

"I see."

I smiled. "Naruto is annoying, but he's really not that bad, either. However . . . Sakura, I could do without. . . ."

"Not technically. Without Sakura, what would happen to the team?" Temari seemed to be watching Gaara's reaction to that.

He blinked.

I noticed what I'd almost done. Maybe I _should _watch myself around him. "I suppose. I just don't get along with her. She's not too bad, though." That was a lie. I despised her. Though, not as much as I disliked Ino. Ugh.

"Gaara, come on, we want to see the rest of the village." Temari smiled at me. "It was nice talking with you again. Once more, thanks for the cupcakes."

I smiled back. "Any time you want more, just come get me."

Kankuro nodded. "I'll probably take you up on that offer!" He beamed.

I laughed, waved as they moved away.

Neji moved to stand beside me. "Cupcakes?" he asked.

I blushed slightly. "Gaara saved my life and I repaid him with two dozen cupcakes and a cake."

"Interesting. I didn't know you baked."

I nodded. "I love baking."

"Ah. I didn't know that."

"You bake?" a very familiar voice asked. I turned to see Sasuke walking with Naruto. One brow was raised and Naruto was beaming.

"Wow! Are you any good?"

"Yes, I bake and, yes, of course I'm good."

"Cocky," Sasuke commented.

"For a reason."

"You know, I just had an idea!" Naruto's grin widened. "Why don't we have a party? Star could bake for it! It could be like a celebration of all of us making it to the Chuunin Exam! We could get all the teams together and have some fun, get to know one another!"

"Actually, that's a good idea," I commented.

Sasuke scoffed. "How would you get all of the teams together?"

"Come on, Sasuke! Use your imagination! We could get Kiba and Sakura and Ino to help! The three of them would be the best because they're so outgoing!" He grinned. "Come on, let's do it!"

"I have better things to do," Neji said, turning away.

"So do I." Sasuke started to walk off.

I touched Neji's arm. "Neji, please?"

He turned to look at me, eyes evaluating me. "You really want me to come?"

"Yes."

"That'll cut in to my training time, and yours, as well."

"Please?"

He shook his head. "I'll think about it. That's the best you're getting out of me."

I smiled. "Okay." I turned my sights on Sasuke, who'd walked a good distance away by now. Naruto started to go after him, but I grabbed his arm. "I'll get him." I ran after him, catching up in a matter of second. "Why don't you want to come?"

"I have training to do."

"But it could be fun."

He glanced at me. "You don't like parties any more than I do, so why even bother trying to convince me?"

I didn't really understand that, myself. Maybe because Naruto had been so excited about it. "It could be fun," I reiterated.

"I'm not going. You may be able to convince Neji to go, but I'm not him." His voice sounded so firm, so sure.

"Why not?"

"I don't want to go."

"Why?"

"I have other things to do that are more important to me than a useless party with people I don't even like."

"You don't like anyone," I pointed out.

He said nothing.

"Come on, Sasuke. Do you really want to miss out on this? It could be really fun. What can I do to convince you to go to the party?"

He studied me. "Nothing."

"There's got to be something."

"Do you know what would happen if I went to that party with Sakura and Ino there? You're asking me to spend time near them and the rest of the mindless fan girls when I could spend my time training."

"I know, but it would be worth it."

"How could it _possibly _be worth it?"

"You could have fun. Maybe make new friends."

"I don't want new friends."

"Come on, Sasuke. You might enjoy it."

"I'd enjoy training a lot more."

"If you don't come to this party, I will singlehandedly make sure you never have a spare moment."

He scowled at me. "What does that mean?"

"It means, I'll tell each and every one of the fan girls that you love them, but you're too shy to admit it."

"You think they'd buy it?"

I grinned. "I've seen your handwriting, Sasuke. I can forge a note or two by you."

"I'm not going to the party."

"Please?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

"Because more than likely, if you ask Gaara to go, he's going to show up because you asked him to. I don't want to be in that close proximity to him because if he does show up to that party, he'll stick to you since he knows you and feels safe with you and doesn't know anyone else," he said in an angry rush. He said it all quickly, angrily, as though it had slipped out or he had wanted to make sure he wouldn't lose his nerve.

I stared at him. "You're worried about being near Gaara?"

"I don't like him."

"So you'd pass up something just so you wouldn't have to be near him. Don't you think that's a bit cowardly?"

He stiffened.

"Letting his presence dissuade you from doing something . . . I don't know, that seems like a coward's way out. . . ."

"I'm not a coward."

"Then why are you letting him run you off?"

"I'm afraid I'll kill him."

I gave him a look. "Come on! You can't let his presence ruin it for you."

"I'm not going."

Dammit, he was hard to persuade. "This is silly. Why-"

"I don't want to be near him while he's glued to you."

"That sounds more like jealousy to me than fear," someone else said from behind us. We turned as one to see Naruto behind us.

"I am not jealous. And I'm not afraid. I just simply do not want to be in his presence."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please? Please, please?"

"No." But I saw his eyes waver slightly. "No."

"Come on, please? It'll be fun! Please?"

"I am not going."

"I don't understand what's so bad about him," Naruto said. "From what I've seen, which admittedly isn't much, he's not bad."

"He's not bad? Are you kidding me?" He growled, turned. "I am not going to your stupid party and there is nothing you can say or do to convince me." He took off.

I started to go after him, but Naruto grabbed my arm, shaking his head. "He's not coming."

"But-"

He shook his head. "He's too stubborn."

I growled. "Fine! I'm going to find Gaara and invite him," I shook off Naruto's hand and went in the direction Gaara and his siblings had taken off in. In moments, I was coming up on them from behind. "Hey, Gaara!" I called.

He turned, eyes widening when he saw me running to him, then narrowing a moment later. He took two steps to me, grabbed my arm to stop me from running-which caused both pair of eyes behind him to widen in disbelief-and asked, "Why are you upset?"

I stiffened. I hadn't thought he would notice that. "I got into an argument with someone, but that's not important. We're having a party tonight to celebrate everyone getting to the Chuunin Exams. Every team is invited. I wanted to deliver the invitation to you personally. Will you come?"

"Who did you argue with?"

I shook my head. "Really, it doesn't-"

"Who?"

"Just Sasuke. He didn't want to come to the party and I tried to convince him, but he won't come. It doesn't matter. So will you come?"

He looked away. "I don't know. I don't think many people will be happy to see me there."

"I'll be happy to see you there. I don't care what anyone else thinks."

That made his eyes flash to mine. A moment passed and he said, "I'll attend."

"We'll come, too," Temari spoke up. I liked her. I smiled at her and she smiled back.

"I'm glad you'll all be coming." My smile withered. "Hey, Gaara, can you do me a favor? It's kind of big, but it means a lot to me."

"What is it?"

"If Sasuke comes, can you try to be nice to him? I mean, not really nice. Just pretty much ignore him. Don't talk to him or anything. I want everyone to have fun, so I don't you two getting in a fight."

He nodded. "I'll try my best."

I smiled. "Thanks. And, uh, don't kill anyone, hm? I don't care if you wound anyone, that's fine. Some people are retarded." I made a face. "But don't kill anyone until after the party."

That made him smile very, very slightly. "I won't."

"Great! Now, it's a party. If you'll excuse me, I have to invite more people. Come to my house around five. Everyone will be meeting there. 'Kay? Bye!" I hugged him-which caused his brother to gasp and his sister's eyes to widen-and turned and walked off. "See you later!" I took off running. I was halfway to get Kiba when Ino stepped into my path. Her eyes were burning. I skid to a stop, glaring at her. "What do you want?"

"I heard you invited that psycho Gaara to the party."

"Yes, I did. He's my friend."

"He's a psychopathic freak."

"Look, Ino, he's my friend. If you say something to him, or do something to him that causes him not to come to the party or that makes him upset in any way, you won't have to worry about him getting you because I'll be there first. He is my friend. You will show respect to him while you're around him or I'll make him look tame by comparison when I get to you." I stepped up close to her, glaring. "And I can guarantee that you will regret anything you say to him if I get to you before he does."

She glared at me. "That's not funny."

"Think I'm being funny? Really? I'm not. I'm not joking. I'm being 100% serious. You say or do something to him, I'll make you pay for it. He doesn't deserve to be hurt by someone as lowly as you." I pushed on her shoulder, roughly enough that she stumbled back and fell, and walked over her as she sat, dazed, on the ground. I kept walking.

Someone was behind me. "Star, wait!" It was Temari.

I turned, eyes wide. "Temari? What's up?"

"I heard what you said to her," she said, catching up to me. "In all honesty, I was coming to find you to give you the same message."

I smiled. "I would do the same thing."

"You _did _do the same thing. You really care about my little brother, don't you?

A nod. "Yes. I sense that he's had a lot of pain in his life. He doesn't deserve to be treated that way. He's a great guy. He just needs to let more people see it."

She nodded. "You've been good for him, these past couple of days."

"Have I?" I let my surprise show.

She nodded again. "Yea. Three days ago, if someone had tried to hug or touch him, the sand protecting him would have killed or hurt them. You get through that sand with ease, not even trying, and the sand doesn't even attempt to hurt you. Three days ago, even if the sand _hadn't _killed whoever tried to touch him and they'd actually succeeded, my brother would've killed them. My brother would've killed anyone who tried to talk to him or who even looked at him. Now he's more calm. Three days ago, he never would've even thought of coming to a party. You ask him and he's suddenly all for it." She studied me. "I don't know what kind of spell you've put on my brother, but I'm not complaining. I _am _worried, though. About you. And him. My brother isn't the most stable of people. Tread carefully around him, okay?"

I nodded. "I would never hurt him."

"No, I don't think you would. What I mean is, earlier today, he would've killed that Hyuuga boy, if he hadn't had a problem with you seeing his more ruthless, murderous side. The only reason he didn't kill him was because he didn't want to kill someone in front of you. My brother has never shown such consideration before. Now that he has, I'm afraid for you. If you have any other kind of relationship with any other boy, I suggest you keep it hidden. I don't know how my brother would handle jealousy."

I stared at her. "Are you saying he would kill me?"

"No, I don't think he'd ever hurt you. I'm saying, if he decided he wanted you, he'd kill whoever he thought was in his way." Her eyes hardened. "Even if there's no real threat to his life or his chances with you. If he even thought there was a chance you'd choose someone over him and he wanted you, he'd kill the person he thought had that chance."

I nodded carefully. "I-I'll be careful. I don't have any relationships with anyone, nor do I know anyone that I would even be tempted to have a relationship with, but I'll be careful around him."

"Just don't hug anyone around him until I've decided if it's safe. If my brother killed one of your friends, what would you do?"

I'd fight him. I said as much.

"And if you became a threat to him, he'd lose control and he wouldn't be able to stop himself from killing you. I don't want to know what would happen to my brother if that happened."

"Is that why he didn't want to spar?"

She nodded. "If it became apparent that you were strong, his instincts and the Demon inside him would take over him and he wouldn't be able to stop them from killing you, thus removing any possible threat you had to his life."

Demon? "He has a Demon sealed within him?"

"Yes. That doesn't make you fear him, does it?"

"Not at all."

"Good. Don't start fearing him. Just act the way you do around him now. If you start to fear him, I don't know what would happen. Like I said, my brother is not the most stable of people."

"I understand. I'll do my best."

"I worry for him all the time. He doesn't know it, but I care about him. I just want what's best for him."

I smiled. "I think he does know, in some way." That reminded me. "Hey, did Gaara bleed you and Kankuro a few days ago?"

"Yes, why?"

"I'm sorry about that. That's my fault." I explained.

Her eyes were slightly wide. "I see. We thought he was just in another of his homicidal rages, but that does explain why he bottled the blood."

"He got more from you than Kankuro, didn't he? The scent in the cup was more yours."

"Yea, he did. Not because I was bleeding more, though. Actually, Kankuro got the worst of it."

That made me smile. "He let Kankuro's blood go to waste, while he took yours. That means he thinks you're stronger than Kankuro is."

"I am stronger. I didn't think he'd notice that, though."

"He notices more than you give him credit for." I smiled wider. "I bet he even knows that you do love him."

"I hope he does." She looked back, as though she heard something. "I have to go. Don't tell anyone about this talk, Star. Stay safe." She took off running.

I watched her for a few minutes. I felt strangely as though she'd been trying to warn me about more than what she'd said. She'd warned me against trying to fight her brother. Why would she do that unless she thought I would need to?

I shook off the thought, shrugged, and continued to search for Kiba. I knew where he would be. He and Akamaru would be in the park right now. I found him easily and Akamaru found me before he did. He pounced on me and I knelt to hug him. "Hey! It feels like it's been ages!" I kissed his forehead.

Kiba sat beside me. "What's up?"

"Where's Hinata?"

He shrugged. "Probably training. She does that a lot now."

I felt bad about not knowing that. "I wish I was on your guys' team. . . ."

He put his arm around my shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Star! Hinata and I know you love us. So what's up?"

"There's a party we're having for all the teams to celebrate graduating to this level. You are coming."

He laughed. "I'll come, you know that."

I grinned. "Of course I know that!" I caught sight of something-something that made me shrug off Kiba's arm and stand. "So you'll come?" I said, louder than needed.

He nodded. "Of course."

I almost hugged him, but the thought of Gaara watching and the warning Temari had issued held me back, so I smiled. I'd noticed the narrowing of Gaara's eyes when Kiba had his arm around me. "Great! Be at my place at about five. Got it?"

"Yea. You're acting a little strange. Are you okay?" He'd noticed that I'd restrained myself from hugging him.

"Yea. I'm fine. Just excited and in a hurry. I have to go tell Hinata and convince her to come."

"Want me to come?" he asked, standing.

I shook my head. "No, I've got it." It would be a bad idea. Akamaru jumped up onto my leg and I knelt to kiss his head again. "You guys stay and play. I'll go get her. Besides, I'd like to have a little girl-talk with her!"

He groaned. "I hate it when you use that excuse."

"Well, I want to know how she's doing and maybe take her shopping or something. She is my best friend, like you are."

He nodded. "Yea, but . . . come on! Girl talk. That makes me feel left out!"

"Don't worry. You'll get enough attention at the party to make up for it," I said, laughing. "I'll see you at the party." I hurried off, still feeling Gaara watching me. When I was far enough away that nobody else could see me, he came into the open, started walking toward me until he was beside me. "Hey, what's up?" I asked.

"Who is that guy?" he asked.

"He's my friend. I've been friends with him since I was a kid. He and Hinata were the first two to accept me as a part of the village."

"Do you like him?"

I couldn't help it. I laughed. "Like _Kiba? _I hope you mean as a friend."

"No, I mean, is he your boyfriend?"

I shook my head wildly. "No, way. Kiba's my friend, but I wouldn't date him. That would be a bad idea."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. He's like Neji to me-I think of them as brothers, as the family I don't have anymore." That was a lie, but I figured it would keep them alive.

"I see."

"Right now, I'm going to try to convince Hinata to go to the party. That'll be hard to do. She's really shy."

He said nothing, just silently walked beside me.

I was about to ask him if he needed something when he veered off, headed back to the park. I almost turned around and followed him, but I trusted him not to do anything. I prayed I was right to trust him as I came upon Hinata training in the forest by our usual spot. "Hey!"

She turned, ran to me. "Star!"

I hugged her. "It feels like it's been forever." I pulled back. "I miss talking to you every day."

"Me, too."

"So I'm having a party. . . ."

She blushed. "And you want me to come?"

"You can help bake for it. I need some help with that." I smiled.

She thought about it. "I'll come."

"Great. Let's go buy what we need for the party, unless you want to train a bit longer? I have two hours before I have to get ready for the party."

She shook her head. "No, let's go. We'll need every minute to prepare."

"Awesome!" Then I thought about it. "Ten or fifteen minutes of training time wouldn't be too bad, though."

She laughed at my hopeful tone. "Okay, we'll train for a few minutes."

We were sparring, my eyes activated, hers activated, when Kiba and Akamaru ran through the trees and nearly collided with Hinata. I turned, panicked, to see him blushing and out of breath. "What's wrong?"

"That guy is creepy!" Kiba exclaimed. "I thought I was going to die there for a minute!"

"What happened?" I asked, worried.

"This guy just comes out of nowhere up to me and Akamaru. Akamaru was so scared, he hid in the bushes and wouldn't come out. He started asking me all these weird questions." He looked at me. "About you, actually."

"What?"

"He asked me if I liked you, if I wanted to date you, how I felt about you. Stuff like that."

My eyes widened. "Was his name Gaara?"

"Yea."

"What did you tell him?"

"I said I already had a girlfriend and that I thought of you as my little sister."

"Who did you say your girlfriend was?"

At this moment, he looked toward Hinata, then looked away. "I said Hinata was my girlfriend. . . ."

Hinata's face flushed with embarrassment. "What?"

"It was the only thing I could think of. I thought he was going to kill me. He was so intent on finding out if I liked Star, that I _had _to say something to throw him off. You're the only girl I know that I could ask to pretend to be my girlfriend until he leaves." His eyes widened in a plea. "Please?"

She blushed darker and nearly fainted, but held herself together.

"I know you like Naruto. I know this may destroy your chance with him, but if I didn't say something, I think he would have killed me. Please, Hinata? You might be saving my life. I'd owe you big! I'll make Naruto like you."

She nodded. "I-I'll do it . . . but not to make N-Naruto like me . . . I'll do it b-because I don't want you hurt. . . ." She was still blushing. "Don't make Naruto like me . . . I-I am not doing it for that."

He nodded. "Thank you so much, Hinata!" He took three, quick steps and hugged her. "You're a life-saver."

"Y-you're we-welcome," she sputtered.

"Who else is coming to the party? I'll help out by sending out invites."

"Everyone who's in the Chuunin Exams."

He paled. "That means that guy."

I nodded. "Gaara's my friend, actually."

"W-what?"

"He saved my life and now we're friends. His sister thinks he might like me."

"If he ever found out that you were dating someone, what would happen?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not worried, though. Not really. I don't think he'd do anything rash."

"I don't know about that, Star. You didn't see the way he was asking questions." He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. If he's a friend of yours, I'll try to like him."

"He's really nice when you get to know him," I defended.

"Nice to you, maybe, but you're not a guy that could be in his way!" Kiba said, eyes wide. "That guy is powerful. I don't want to be on the receiving end of that power."

"It's okay, guys. He's a really cool guy. It's just that he's been through a lot of pain. He's really great."

"Like I said, I'll be friendly and even try to make friends with him, but he still scares the crap out of me."

I kind of couldn't blame him. "I understand. Don't worry. He won't hurt you." I sighed. "Okay, either way, I guess Kiba can come shopping with us."

"And Akamaru," Kiba chimed in. "Wait, shopping? Nah, no thanks, I'm out!" He smiled at both of us, gave Hinata another grateful hug and was gone.

I turned to Hinata. "Well, you ready to go?


	7. Uchiha's POV

Sasuke's POV.

It felt like hours ago that I had walked away from Star and Naruto, declining their invitation to the party when, actually, it had been just minutes ago. I had taken off running in a fit of anger, but I was not going back. I wouldn't go to that stupid party. Why should I? It was going to be filled with people I despised.

I settled down at the base of the tree, carrying Star's black notebook in my hand and opening it up to read once more. This notebook held a story inside it, one I hadn't known until I'd stolen it. A story of a girl's family that was murdered, a childhood that was stolen. There were things in this notebook that enraged me to the point I had to train to get the anger out. For instance, what was written in it about her grandfather.

From the beginning of the notebook to about the middle, there was a story about a girl. At first, I'd thought the story had simply been one borne of Star's imagination, but I'd come to realize it was about her life. I'd read that she'd been molested, but it didn't have anything about her being raped or sold, like she had informed me. I was glad about that because if it had, if she'd written that down, I don't think I'd ever have been able to stop training. Just thinking about what she'd said, about the look in her eyes when she'd said it, almost enraged me enough to kill her grandfather. Well, not _almost. _

As for now, I opened the notebook and began to read again. I had finished reading the notebook, had finished looking through it, but I wasn't ready to give it back, yet. I still read it from time to time. Like now, for instance. In my mind, I could picture a young Star, twins, brother and older sister watching their parents be murdered. I wondered, often, whether or not Star's siblings were still alive. I doubted her brother was. There was something about what she'd written about him that made me think he would've fought alongside her father. I didn't get very far when I laid my head back against the tree and closed my eyes to imagine everything that had happened. It wasn't long before I was sleeping.

I was standing in the middle of a large house, one like the house that Star had written about. I saw the cloaked man run past me, chasing a woman like the way I'd imagined her mother. I followed him into the room and I looked around to see if I could find the secret panel. I found it, a moment before a red-haired, green-eyed boy about my age now ran through me, toward the woman. It caught me off guard. He didn't run passed me or around me. He went straight through me. I stumbled, catching myself on the wall. "What the hell?" I said it loud enough anyone could hear me, but nobody even twitched. I walked over to the cloaked man, just as Star had described him, reached out and tried to touch him. My hand went straight through him.

I dropped my hand and Star's mother fell, blood splattering the room as she did. The man chased the red-haired boy out and I went back to the secret panel, kneeling beside it, waiting to see if I was right and if she would come out. I didn't want to stand in front of it in case I stopped the door from opening. It was hours later, after the screaming had finally ceased, the door to the secret panel eased open. Turned out I was right.

Out stepped a small girl. She barely came up to my knee. She wore a light blue, floor-length gown with long, flowing sleeves. Her silver hair was piled in a messy bun. It looked like it hadn't been messy before she'd gone into the little hiding place. She looked around, stepping passed me. A small sound came from her when she saw her mother on the floor. She dropped to her knees and crawled toward the dead woman, reaching out a small, pale hand. Before she even touched her, she leapt to her feet, whirled and ran from the room, yelling, "Daddy!"

I followed her. She wasn't very fast as a child. I could easily keep up with her just by walking. If I went too fast with walking, I'd pass her up, though, so I had to go pretty slowly. She ran up some stairs and I followed her to a bedroom. On one side of the bed, there was a man lying facedown in a pool of blood. His eyes were wide and glassy, silver as Star's eyes. Star knelt beside him, careful not to get her gown bloody, and tried to touch him, touching his hair. She leapt to her feet as though she'd been pushed. "Daddy? Get up, daddy. Get up."

I knelt, by the door, just so I could see her eyes. There were tears running down her cheeks. It was the first time I'd seen her really cry.

She put her hands over her eyes, shaking her head wildly and turned, running. I started to stand to get out of her way and she slammed into my leg, falling back. She looked up, eyes wide and frightened, and scrambled to her feet.

I met her eyes, not moving. Part of me was afraid if I moved, she'd run.

A few minutes passed and those wide eyes still stared into mine. She flung herself forward and grabbed a fistful of my shorts, reaching up to do so. She tugged weakly. "Daddy," was all she said. "He won't get up."

I looked up, toward her fallen father. "He's not going to get up, Star."

"How do you know my name?" It was a little hard to understand her, but I was pretty sure that was what she'd said.

"I, uh, knew your brother."

Her eyes went wide again. "Big Brother!" she yelled, running around my leg.

I followed her again, keeping pace with her.

She ran down the stairs, tripped on the hem of the dress and I grabbed onto the back of the gown, lifting her up, off her feet before she'd actually fallen. A moment passed and she hung there, suspended.

I reached out with my other hand and pulled her to me, balancing her on my hip with my left arm around her waist. "Let's go find him, okay?"

She nodded, eyes wide still. "Big Brother," she mumbled, looking away from me. "Gotta find Big Brother! He'll know what to do!"

I started down the stairs, walking quickly while she clung to me with her legs locked on my side and tiny fists clenched in my shirt. I had a moment to think, _Wow, she's always been tiny, _and we were at the front door. I pushed it open with my free hand and walked out, looking around. On the far left side of the house, I saw something that made me turn to the right. Something I didn't want Star to see.

Her brother was dead. Lying face-up. There was no blood under him, but I could see the blood on his face and clothes. I walked to the right, carefully making sure she would not see him.

"Where is he?" she asked, looking around wildly.

"I don't know, Star."

"Down," she said, "I want down."

I knelt, let her down.

She looked around, ran a circle around me and came to stand before me again. "I don't see him. . . ." She started to cry again.

I pulled her into my arms without thinking about it, holding her against my chest. "It's okay, Star. It'll be okay."

"Big Brother is gone." Her voice was faint, filled with pain, fear and tears. She pressed in against me, holding tight with her hands fisted on my shoulders. "He's gone."

"You don't know that," I said softly, thinking about the lifeless body of her brother.

"Daddy's gone," she said softly. "He's gone. He won't get up."

"It'll be okay."

"Why won't he get up?"

"Don't worry about that. Just think about now, okay? It'll be fine. You'll be okay. You're going to grow up to be strong, right?"

She nodded against my chest.

"Then don't worry about it now. Just wait. You'll see. Everything will turn out okay."

It was at that moment the dream faded and I jerked awake, sitting straight up as I did and glancing around. No sounds, nothing moved. Everything seemed . . . normal, quiet. "Star," I whispered, feeling the need to see her. There was something about the dream that bothered me and I stayed as still as I could, thinking. Everyone in that dream had gone straight through me, hadn't affected me in any way, except Star. I wasn't an idiot. I knew what that meant. It meant, even in the real world, that Star had touched me. Star had managed to really make me see her. She hadn't just seen the front I put off, or what the other girls saw. She'd seen straight through to me, when nobody else had. And she'd touched me, made me really feel her. I understood that part of the dream almost instantly.

But what about her brother? There was nothing in the notebook that had said her brother had tried defending her mom, at least not in front of Star. And there certainly wasn't anything about him lying dead beside the house. Somehow I thought that there was something Star remembered, something she knew, that she couldn't quite get to. I knew, at that moment, that Star _had _seen her brother, but that she didn't remember it.

I touched the notebook where it lay on my lap, flipping it to the last page. It was empty. There was a pen in the spine of the notebook, probably put there by Star. I pulled it out quickly and wrote, "I like you, too."

With that, I snapped it closed, stood up and, with a glance at the darkened sky above me, set off to Star's place. Without even thinking about it, I knew the party was over. I knew she'd been in her house, probably readying for bed. So I set off.


	8. On the Edge

The party lasted a pretty long time, but when it finally ended and everyone set out for home, I kind of missed the party. I was sitting down, relaxing, when there was a knock on my door. I got up and called, "Who is it?" through the door.

"Me," someone said.

I sighed. I could fool around and say, "Me, who?" even though I knew who it was, but I was agitated at the sound of his voice. He thought he could show up _now, _after the party had ended? Was he nuts? I just opened the door. "What do you want, Uchiha?"

He was holding out my notebook silently. "I've finished with it."

Eyes slightly wide, I took it. "T-thanks?"

Saying nothing more, he just turned away and left. I did not call him back.

I closed the door, locking it, and hugged my notebook. I was glad to have it back. I went into my room, set my notebook on the bedside table, went into the bathroom and got ready for bed. I was in my nightgown when another knock made me jump. I pulled my thick, fluffy, black robe on and went to the door and called through, "Who is it?"

"Temari."

I opened it, slightly surprised. "Hi, Temari."

"May I come in?"

I nodded, stepped aside.

"Gaara told me about your sister. I'm sorry about it."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

"Perhaps you should tell your Hokage."

I shook my head. "The Hokage has more important things to worry about."

She sat at my table. "I know Gaara won't spar with you for fear of hurting you, but I'm strong, too. Would you like to spar with me?"

I shrugged. "Sure, but when?"

"Now."

"I'll have to get dressed."

"I'll wait."

I went into my bedroom, got dressed, pulled my wet hair into a pony tail, then came out. "I'm ready."

She nodded, stood, and we went outside. I noticed for the first time-how the _hell _had I missed it?-that she had a giant fan strapped to her back. "Ready?"

I nodded back. "Yes. I'm ready." I crouched defensively. "Let's go.

Hours later, I'm guessing, we were both pretty worn out-which seemed to shock Temari-and I had really gained a lot of respect for her. She was _good. _We collapsed on the grass and she laughed shakily. "I can't tell Gaara how strong you are, you know that."

"I'm impressed, Temari. I'll be honest. I didn't think you'd be so strong. I think you're the only girl I know that I would willingly fight."

She laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"It is. Most of the girls here are kind of . . . I hate to say it, but wimpy. They really aren't that good. I really enjoyed fighting you."

"I'm glad. I actually had fun, too. I didn't think you'd be this good, either. You're the first girl I know that I can say I'd be proud to have as a sister."

I smiled at her for that. "Thanks. You're really strong."

"So are you," she said, laughing. She got to her feet. "All right, I should get back to my little brothers. I hope we can help you find your sister."

"Same here," I said, standing. "I'm still worried about her." She left and I went back inside to shower and get dressed for bed. I was getting into my bed when I knocked over my notebook. It landed and opened onto the last page of my notebook, which used to be empty. I looked down at it and there was something written on it. Not in my handwriting. I bent, picked up my notebook, turned it so I could read it and in Uchiha's handwriting was, "I like you, too." I shut the notebook quickly, mind reeling, and, after throwing it against the far wall, I climbed into bed and fell into deep, meaningless sleep.

I had intentionally snuck off once we were in the forest for the survival part of the exam. I didn't really want to face Uchiha after reading that page in my notebook. I wasn't sure what to say. I was walking when I saw Gaara-I watched him execute the loudmouth trio effortlessly. A thought passed through my head. Just one thought: I should fear this guy. But I didn't fear him. I went up to him. "Hey, Gaara."

He turned and his eyes flashed between the three dead bodies and me. "Star," he said, voice soft.

"I see you've got all your scrolls," I said, smiling.

He nodded.

"Lucky you. We still need our Heaven Scroll." I made a face.

"You're in luck. These three were carrying a Heaven Scroll," Kankuro said. "We don't need it." He tossed it to me. "You don't mind, do you, Gaara?"

He shook his head. "No, of course not." Once more his eyes shot to the three bodies, then back to me. "You have blood on your cheek." His eyes narrowed. "Who hit you?"

I rubbed the blood off, only for more to seep out of the cut. "Nobody. I was just running and tripped. Which is really embarrassing for me to say since I'm supposed to be a grand Ninja, you know." I groaned. "But I did, I tripped."

He came up to me, touching the wound. He growled. "This looks like a kunai mark," he said, voice lower. "So I'll ask again. Who hit you?"

I widened eyes. I really hadn't been struck. I'd told the truth-hadn't I? "I'm not lying, Gaara. I promise that to you. As far as I know, I got the cut when I tripped. I did go past a fighting group of people, but other than that, I've been out of the fighting."

"One of them must've thrown a kunai and it must've grazed you," Temari said, examining the cut, "because Gaara's right. That's a kunai wound."

I tried to touch it and Gaara gripped my wrist, studying my palm. "You did trip," he said, noticing the scrapes across my palm. "Why did you trip? What did you fall over?"

I shrugged. "I don't really know, honestly. I just lost my balance."

"Did you lose your balance after your cheek got cut?"

"I think so," I answered, looking up at Temari. "Yea, it was."

"How long ago was this?" Gaara's eyes were dangerously narrowed. "I don't think they hit you by accident.

"Why would they purposely hit me?"

"Thinking you were alone, an easy target. I don't think they realized you would just keep going."

"Or maybe they thought she was running from them," Kankuro suggested, scanning the trees. "They might have seen her come out here and watched us finish off those three and maybe they decided they didn't want to mess with her." He turned his green eyes back to me, grinning. "After all, Gaara is pretty scary and she's so tiny, you wouldn't think she'd make much of an opponent."

"Gaara's the same size I am," I pointed out.

"Gaara's a little taller than you are and if they were watching, they just saw him finish off those three."

Gaara glared at his brother at the mention of him killing them, but I shrugged. "I don't think there's anything scary about Gaara, but oh, well. Some people are just dense."

Kankuro stared at me like he thought I was dense. "You saw him kill them off."

I shrugged. "He's not the only one that's killed people before."

"You've killed?" the boy in question asked.

I nodded. "Yea. Death isn't something I'm new to."

There seemed to be some relief cross Gaara's face and Temari said, "That would explain why you had almost no reaction when you saw Gaara kill those three."

I shrugged. "Like I said, I've killed before."

"So you're not completely innocent. Well, that would explain why Gaara doesn't scare you, then." Kankuro grinned. "Although, it still means you're weird!"

I grinned. "I _am _weird."

I heard my name being called a moment before a kunai shot past me. I almost screamed for Gaara to watch out, but my concern was quickly gone when the sand came up to block the kunai easily before I could say anything. A hand was on the back of my shirt as someone dragged me back. I recognized the scent as Sasuke. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he was growling as he pulled me back. "Disappearing so quickly after we got here!"

I twisted, trying to get free of him before the look in Gaara's eyes turned to actions. "Sasuke, what the hell!"

"Let her go, Uchiha," he said calmly.

"Stay out of this! This is a team dispute." He pulled me around to face him. "Do you realize how dangerous it is out here?" His eyes narrowed when he saw my cheek. "What the _hell _happened to your cheek? Who hurt you?"

"It was nothing. It was probably just an-"

"Who. Hit. You?" His voice was deadly calm.

"I don't know. We were just talking about-"

He growled. "I don't care what you were talking about. All I care about is how you got hurt."

"I'm fine, Sasuke. It's just a cut." I pushed away from him, turned to smile at Gaara, who was glaring at Sasuke. "Don't mind him. Sasuke has the social graces of a bull dog."

Temari smiled, but her eyes were worried as she watched Gaara. "Most boys do."

I turned, smacked Sasuke, went back up to Gaara and hugged him.

Watching Sasuke with deadly eyes, Gaara put his hand to my chin, tipped my head up slightly and put his mouth to mine. It was soft, gentle, and his attention was mostly on Sasuke-whose rage I could feel from even this far away-but it made my eyes widen. When I tried to shift away, his attention flicked to me, his hand tightened around my chin and he angled his mouth slightly over mine, putting his mouth more firmly to mine. One hand went to the small of my back and he pulled me closer to him. My hands came to rest on his shoulders.

I could feel Sasuke's rage building and I focused on his mind. It was harder than Kiba or Hinata, but I was able to push, _Don't do it, _into his mind. I felt him freeze. _Star? Are you in my mind?_

_Yes. Stay back, don't do anything. I don't want a fight started over this._

_I wasn't about to start a fight. . . ._

Even in his mind, it sounded like a lame lie. _Liar. You are looking for any excuse to hurt him. Just don't start a fight. Please. _The tip of Gaara's tongue flashed across the slight parting of my lips, which forced my mind to focus on him. I think he did that on purpose.

When he pulled back, his eyes were smiling at me; then they flashed to glare at Sasuke. He released me, one hand trailing down my arm as I stepped away. He cupped my hand in his, raised my hand and brushed his lips across my knuckles before releasing it. "See you soon, Star," he said, voice full of promised violence aimed at Sasuke.

Sasuke growled. "Let's go, Star."

I nodded, smiled at Gaara, waved at his siblings and followed Sasuke into the brush.

"Star!" Temari called, running up to me. She handed me the Heaven Scroll I must've dropped. "Here, don't forget this." She smiled and Sasuke grabbed my arm to pull me along with him, not even stopping to comment on the Heaven Scroll in my , I don't think I'd have been able to answer any questions. My mind was pretty much blanked out from Gaara's kiss. All I could think was, _Omg, he just kissed me. _over and over again.

He didn't stop for a long time and, when he did, he started pacing. He was furious. Beyond furious. He stopped pacing when I sat down on the ground to watch him. Instead of pacing now, he turned to study me. A few minutes later, he reached down, grabbed my arm and was pulling me to my feet.

In the middle of that pull, I started to say, "Sasuke, don't be mad. He's just afraid to lose me." I got to "Sasuke" and one of his arms was crushingly tight around my waist while the other one had fisted in the hair at the nape of my neck and he yanked downward, causing me to gasp and lose what I was saying. A mere second later, his mouth was on mine. I froze, body stiff and hard, eyes wide. The force of his yank on my hair had forced my head to tip back just enough that he could claim my mouth with ease. My arms were trapped at my side and I struggled slightly, which caused his arm to tighten around me. My heart was pounding and I wasn't sure if it was in fear or something else. I tried to move my head back down and he yanked on my hair again, forcing me to look back up and eliciting a gasp from me.

He took advantage of that gasp, pulling my lower lip between his lips; then he used his lips, teeth and tongue to roll my lip gently, biting down on it and sucking at the same time, hand tightening in my hair.

I drifted, then, but not away from him. I felt my body relax, mold into his and because I'd relaxed, his arm had loosened enough for me to bring my hands up to fist in the material of his shirt. When my arms were out of the way, his arm tightened around my waist subtly and he let go of my hair. The moment he let go of my hair, I remembered where I was and _who _I was with. My eyes flashed open and I shoved away from him, falling onto my ass when I did. I could feel that my eyes were wide. I tried three times before I could say his name. "S-Sasuke?"

He smirked at me, but I could see there was a layer of shock under the smirk. He was just as shaken as I was. He just wasn't showing it. "What?"

"W-what was that about?" I couldn't keep the quaver out of my voice.

His smirk widened. "I wanted to."

"Why?"

The smirk vanished, to be replaced by a completely serious look as he knelt by me. "I wanted to."

"Why?"

He shrugged, kneeling beside me. "I've wanted to for awhile, now. I just never got the chance. When I saw him," he growled, "kiss you, I realized I was never going to get my chance unless I took it."

I stared at him, unsure of what to say, then shook my head. "This-it's not-nobody has to know about any of this."

His eyes seemed to chill. "Why?"

"I'm not-I don't know . . . I don't know how to handle this right now."

He narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"I just-give me time to deal with this, to come to terms with the fact that I was just kissed by two different guys; one of which is the one everyone wants and the other is the one everyone fears." I shook my head again. "Please, just let me-give me time to think."

He studied me, one brow elevated. "What is it you are going to think about?"

"Okay, look, just . . . I don't want Gaara seeing or knowing about that."

"You want me to hide what I feel just so you won't hurt his feelings? Do you think I _care-_"

"Please?"

He scowled, jaw clenching and unclenching. "Fine. But I will _not _pretend around anyone else. You want to hide it from him, fine, but I am not going to hide it from anyone else."

"W-what?"

"When there's no chance of him seeing anything," he knelt, "like now, I will do as I please."

My eyes widened and I backed away. "W-what?"

He reached out one hand to me, standing. "Just take my hand. Let's get back to the rest of the team."

I hesitantly lay my hand in his. "Why are you being nice?"

He closed his hand around mine and gently pulled me to my feet. "Maybe I want to be nice." One hand came up to my cheek and he smiled slightly. "Maybe I like you." He leant in-

I backed away, eyes wide. "No, don't."

"Why?" He reached out for me.

I backed further away, holding out one hand to ward him off. "Don't."

He grabbed that hand, yanked me into him, one arm going around my waist to keep me captive. He let go of my wrist, keeping both my arms trapped between my chest and his chest. His other hand came up to fist in the hair at the nape of my neck. He jerked down, forcing my mouth up to his.

A second passed and I sank my sharp teeth into his lower lip.

With a small sound, he pulled away, letting go of my hair to put his hand to his lip. It was bleeding. "You just bit me."

"And I'll do it again!"

"Why the _hell _did you bite me?"

I pushed at him. "You're not . . . Sasuke."

"Why am I not Sasuke?"

"Because of what you just did!"

He smirked. "You think someone would pretend to be me to do that? Who would be that stupid?"

"Well, Naruto is always trying to pull off being you, but I don't think he'd kiss me. . . ."

"If he did, I'd kill him." His voice was coldly serious when he said that.

"H-he wouldn't."

"Anyone else who would do that would be courting their death." He cupped my chin in his palm, forcing me to meet his eyes. "If it wasn't for you, I would've killed Gaara for kissing you." His eyes turned gentle. "So you should know it's me."

"How do I know for certain?" I could feel that my eyes were wide when I asked that.

He leant down to whisper, "Do you remember what I wrote in your notebook? Who else but _me _would know that?"

I froze. "I-I remember."

"And that is _your _notebook. I was the last to have it. So how would anyone else have written that?"

I didn't say anything. I didn't know _what _to say.

"What did I write, Star?" When I said nothing, he said, "I wrote, 'I like you, too.'"

I froze, stiffening.

"Why would I write that, Star? Unless . . . unless I know you like me." He pulled back enough for me to see the smirk. "And how would I know that unless I know you well enough to come to that assumption?"

I blushed, pushing against him. "I do _not _like you. . . ."

The smirk widened slightly and he leant back in to whisper against my ear, "If you didn't, you wouldn't have given into me the first time I kissed you."

"I-I didn't give in to you!" I was blushing darker now, dark enough I hid my face against his shoulder. I shook my head. "Y-you caught me off-guard!"

He pushed my face back up so he could see my eyes. He was smiling still. "You're never off-guard." I tried to look away, but he held me steady with his hand on my chin. "A friend of mine said I was deluding myself by not admitting how I feel about you. He called me a coward because I didn't want to tell you. It took me a little while, but I realized he was right." He looked down, putting his forehead against mine. "Now I see that I've been fooling myself all along. Even when we were fighting all the time, I liked you. I just never wanted to face it, so I started fights with you."

I tried to move away again. "We hated each other."

A small smile. "Honestly, did you ever hate me?"

I didn't say anything.

"Well?"

I shook my head. "No . . . I never hated you. I just thought you were too full of yourself."

He smirked. "Too arrogant."

"And you are," I added. "But after you let someone get to know you, you're really not bad." I blushed at that. "Okay, now let me go. . . ."

He raised my face up to his and put his mouth softly to mine, saying, "Not yet," as he did.

For a minute, I almost bit him again, but the taste of his blood overrode my senses and I leant into him, savoring the taste. It was spicy, so much so it burnt, but I loved it.

He moved his hand to my cheek, cupping it gently, but kept his arm tight around my waist, keeping me trapped. He pulled away after a minute, letting his arm fall away slowly, but putting both arms on my shoulders to keep me in place.

I looked down, away from him, blushing.

"You're shy," he said softly. "Never thought you'd be shy."

"I'm not shy. . . ." My voice was softer than I'd wanted.

I could hear the smile in his voice when he said, "You are shy."

"Can we get back to the team?"

"Yea. I think we should." One of his hands moved down my arm, taking my hand into his. "Let's go."

I yanked at my hand, but he held firm. "Sa-"

He shook his head. "Don't," was all he said, but the tone he silenced me. Still gripping my hand, he led me back to the team.

Naruto saw us first. His eyes moved down to see that we were holding hands and they widened. "Are you okay, Star?"

I pulled my hand away from his. "Yea. I'm fine. I just needed to walk."

His eyes flashed to Sasuke. "Where did you go and why is there blood on your cheek?"

Sasuke looked over at me, eyes narrowing when he remembered my scratch. He reached over and rubbed off the caked-on blood. "The scratch is gone," he said softly, "and there's blood on your lip."

I licked the blood off. Spicy.

He smirked. "My blood, I'm guessing. My blood healed you with that small amount. That must mean I'm stronger than you."

"I guess."

Naruto stared at us. "How did-wait, what?"

I looked over at Naruto, shook my head. "It doesn't matter. Don't worry about it."

"Worry about what?"

"I drink blood," I said dismissively. "And when I do, I can heal myself. With special enough blood, I heal anything instantly. I also gain abilities with each swallow of blood and my powers double."

"Oh, wow! Wait, is that why there's blood on your lip? Who did you bite?"

"Me," Sasuke said, uninterested, wiping the remaining blood off his lower lip. "Not that it matters."

I smiled when his lower lip was visible. I'd made a nice little scratch. I'd bet it would scar.

He glanced at me, raising his brow. "What?"

"I'll bet that scars. . . ."

He touched his lip, shrugged.

"I _hope _that scars."

He smirked. "Oh, don't let it go to your head. You got one wound on me."

"Why is he bleeding, anyway?"

I shrugged. "It's his own fault."

"It doesn't matter, idiot."

"But-"

"Star, Sasuke, there you are!" Sakura said, coming into the clearing. "We've been looking for you for forever now! Where did you go?"

"I just needed to go on a walk," I said.

"I went after her because she has no sense when it comes to people she should leave alone." He scowled. "Like that Gaara kid."

"He's still my friend," I said, glaring at him. "And that's not going to change just because you don't like him."

"I could just kill him." The words were accompanied by a cold, analytical look in his eyes.

"Don't you dare. He's a good guy. You just don't like him."

"Damn right I don't. He's dangerous to you."

"He is _not. _He'd never hurt me."

"You don't know that."

For some reason, arguing with him made me smile. Then laugh.

His eyes widened. "Um, Star?"

"We're arguing again," I explained, smiling.

He smiled slightly. "Over _your _safety."

"You two are always arguing," Sakura said, annoyed. "Why does it matter?"

I shook my head. "Nothing, it doesn't matter. Shall we move on?"

I covered myself with my wings defensively, readying myself for the hundreds of kunai that were about to hit me. A sound, then a grunt. I peeked out between my wings. My eyes widened. "You idiot!"

Sasuke had moved to block me, taking the kunai himself.

I growled. "You idiot! I was blocking myself! I didn't need your help!"

He dropped to his knees, yanking out one of the kunai and standing back up, holding it at the ready. He threw it, putting all his strength behind that throw, then fell once again, this time not getting up. That kunai hit the enemy in the chest. She screamed, backed away, and I hurried to Sasuke. Sakura was beside me in an instant.

"Oh, God, is-is he-will he be-" she seemed to be panicking _way _too much for my liking.

I reached across and slapped her, getting wide eyes from her. "Sakura, you can't help anyone if you don't calm down. Now listen to me. I need you to do exactly as I say, got it?"

She nodded, eyes teary. "Got it."

"You need to take out a kunai every time I say to. Do not do it before I say. After you rip out a kunai, I'm going to feel him my blood. Don't ask why, I'll explain it all later. That's the only chance he has right now. Can you do that?"

She nodded again. "I can."

"Okay." I took one of the kunai that had hit him and bounced off and slit my wrist open. "Okay, the one near his lungs, yank it out.

She gripped it, pulling. It came free with a sucking sound which made her sob.

I put my wrist to his lips, forcing him to swallow. "Okay, the one _in _his lung."

She obeyed.

"Shoulder." When that was done, I said, "The other one in his lung." I continued to give out specific kunai for a good few minutes until a kunai whizzed by my face. I stood, glaring at the girl. "That's enough," I said, glaring at her. I raised my hand up, I don't know why, but I did. A black glow covered my hand, little silver dots appearing inside. The glow moved up my arm, covering my whole body. I reached out with that glow, pushing it to engulf the girl. Little cuts appeared on the girl's body, tiny, bleeding cuts. I could feel my power pushing into her body, pushing our her own power. Her power leaked out as mine forced inside and she was screaming a high, frantic, painful scream. I closed my hand quickly and my power came out just as quickly, tearing out of her with pain, blood and skin. Blood flew everywhere, an arm flew over my head. When it was clear, I could see her body-or what remained of it. It was mangled, bones crushed and sticking out of her skin. I let my hand fall and she fell to the ground. Exhaustion filled me, but I turned and continued to heal Sasuke, mind rushing to figure out where I had gotten that move and why I had used it.

I continued to heal him while Sakura pulled out the kunai until I could barely breathe. I had to stop. I felt my strength ebbing. I let myself fall to my back, struggling to breathe. Great. Naruto was unconscious, Sasuke half-healed, half-dead and now I was completely out of energy. There was only one kunai left. I pushed myself up. "Pu-pull it out."

She did, quickly.

I fed him more blood, then let myself fall back again. "Get-get both of them out of here. Now."

"What about you?"

"I'm not going to be able to move for awhile. I'll catch up with you."

She nodded, pulled Sasuke's arm over her shoulder and stood, going to get Naruto.

I let myself drift, not sure if I could come back from this. Using that move had cost me a lot of energy I hadn't really had to begin with; then pushing energy, power and blood into Sasuke had drained me more. I couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't even breathe.

_So this is what death feels like. . . ._


	9. Forging Bonds

"Star," I heard someone say softly. A hand touched my shoulder, shook me lightly. I opened my eyes to find light, pale teal eyes looking down at me. I jumped, eyes widening, then realized who it was. Gaara. He was kneeling beside me.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"You lost the Heaven Scroll I gave you."

"Ye-yea, but how did you get back here? Didn't you finish?"

He nodded. "Of course." He held something out to me.

I looked down. A Heaven Scroll. I reached out, took it from his hands gently. "Thanks," I said softly.

He touched my cheek. "There's a cut again. . . ."

I reached up to touch the scabbed-over cut. I must've gotten it when I'd been running through the woods because I didn't remember it.

He reached up slightly and pulled a cord over his head. Attached to the cord was a small, blue vial filled with some liquid. He put the cord over my head, settling it around my neck. "It's blood. One sip should heal you."

I touched it, lifting it so I could sniff it. "It's mostly your sister's, isn't it?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Thank you." I touched his arm when he stood, grabbing his hand and pulling myself to my feet with his help. "Why are you doing this?" I asked, studying his eyes.

He glanced away for a moment, then back to me, a small blush. "Why were you nice to me?"

"Because . . . I've never met someone who deserved it so much."

A small, small smile. "There's the answer to your question, then." A sound, something moved behind him. His eyes slid slightly to the right, toward the sound, narrowing.

I looked behind him to see Sasuke standing with his eyes narrowed, fists clenched. "You came. . . ."

I held the Heaven Scroll up. "He gave us this."

"Who did you kill to get it?" he growled.

"It doesn't matter," I said. "What matters is he went out of his way to do it." I smiled up at Gaara. "Don't mind him."

His eyes slid back to me, but the smile was gone. The look on his face was blank. I hated seeing that look.

I threw my arms around his throat, hugging him tightly. "He's just jealous because he couldn't find one himself," I murmured in his ear.

For a moment, he was stiff, hard, against me, then he relaxed, drawing me closer with his arms around my waist.

I hugged him tighter. "I know it's a little late to ask, but can we be friends?"

He drew back, eyes peering into my own. "I thought we already were."

I kissed his cheek. "I just wanted to make sure." I pulled away, smiling. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." There, in his eyes, I could see something. A softening, a smile. Something I'd missed until now. "Thanks for wanting to be my friend."

I smiled. "Anyone who wouldn't want to be your friend is missing out. You're a great guy and I feel . . . I feel I'm going to treasure having you as a friend for as long as I live."

That made another kind of look come into his eyes. A confusion, almost a sadness, with happiness mixed in. It was a strange look. "I've . . . never met someone like you before."

"Star," Sasuke said warningly behind us.

I ignored him and smiled. "And you never will again. I'm kind of one of a kind!"

That made him smile. "I. . . ." He breathed in deeply, his shoulders stiffened. A second passed and he let the breath out and his shoulders relaxed. "I can see that." He put his hand to my cheek, moving my face slightly to the side so that I was meeting his eyes perfectly. His eyes flashed between mine quickly, as though he was searching for something.

Sasuke was suddenly at my side. "We should get going," he growled, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from him. "We have to get to the tower, after all."

"Gaara could guide us there," I suggested.

After an intense staring contest with Sasuke, Gaara said, "I don't think that would be wise."

"I agree completely. Why don't you get going, _Gaara? _We'll meet you there."

"Then we'll settle this." And he was gone.

I almost yelled for him to come back, almost ran after him, but Sasuke's hand tightened and he turned me to him. His eyes glared into mine. "He almost kissed you again."

"He did not!" My eyes widened. "That was a one-time thing!"

"What makes you think that?" he asked, voice low, dangerous.

I looked away, shaking my head. "He doesn't like me like that."

He made a sound that was dangerously close to the growling sounds Akamaru made. "Really?"

"Really. We're friends."

"Then _why _would he have kissed you in the first place?"

I blushed, shrugged. "I . . . I don't know."

"Star, look at me," he said, voice strangely calm.

I glanced up at him, then away.

"Look at _me._"

I shook my head. "What's your-"

With a hand on each side of my face, he moved my face up to him, forcing my eyes to glance up. "Look at me." His voice was soft, gentle.

It was that tone that made me look up at him. My eyes were wide.

"Why do you think _I _kissed you?"

My eyes fell away from his and I could feel myself blushing.

"Star? Answer me."

"I-I do-don't know."

A small, wry chuckle. "You really _are _shy. I see why you and Hinata are friends."

"I'm not shy."

"Look at me, tell me why I kissed you."

I tried to look away, tried to shake my head, but he held me firm.

"Why did I do it?"

I studied him, eyes wide. "I don't know."

"Do you want to know why?" Before I could answer, he went on to say, "I kissed you because you're someone I can see myself spending my life with. You're strong, you're not annoying." A small, twisted smile. "You're a little hyper and bouncy, but I find it amusing and cute, not annoying." The smile disappeared. "You're the only girl I can stand to be near without thinking about killing."

"Th-well, aren't we . . . friends?"

He cocked his head to the left slightly. "I'd like to think that friends don't kiss."

"That was a one-time thing, too, right?" I could feel some emotion in my eyes, could feel some emotion building in me, one I couldn't name.

A small, small smile. "Your eyes . . . it's like you're afraid of something. Why are you so afraid to have someone care about you?"

"I don't . . . I'm not afraid."

He raised one brow, clearly doubting what I said.

"It's just . . . I don't see _why _you would care. . . . I'm just me. There's nothing special about me."

"You're wrong there. There's a lot special about you. Who else but you would go up to the most dangerous person within a hundred miles and give him cupcakes and a hug? Who else but you would I allow to touch me? To Gaara, you're special because you're the first one to show him he's not a monster. To me, you're special because you're the only one I care about anymore. In much the same way, Gaara and I have similar bonds with you. You're the only one we truly care for."

"Gaara cares about his sister," I said quickly.

A small, wry smile. "Let's say that's true, but even if it is, you're still the only one he cares about that isn't family."

"We're friends. . . ."

"You're the first friend he's ever had."

"I'm sure he's had other friends."

A raised brow again. "And you're the only one I can stand. Who else do I talk to the way I talk to you? I haven't kissed anyone but you, Star. What does that tell you?"

I couldn't help but say, "What about Naruto?"

He rolled his eyes. "_That _was an accident and you know it."

"It was still funny."

Same reaction. "Star, I'm being serious here. Just let it sink in." He touched the necklace he'd given me. "Look around. What other girls have I given this to?" Now he touched the vial. "And what other girls has he given this to?"

My eyes slid away.

"Ask him, Star. I dare you. Ask him about the necklace. Ask him about how he feels. He'll tell you." He moved his hand, putting one under my chin and raising my face as he leant in, touching his lips to mine.

I tried to fight it, tried to ignore it, but I leant into him, putting my hands to his shoulders as I did so.

"S-Star? Sasuke?" Naruto said softly. "W-what's going on?"

I pushed away from him instantly, looking over to meet Naruto's wide eyes. I could feel that I was blushing.

"Oh! You came to the same conclusion, did you?" A grin split his face and he leapt over to me. He hugged me. "It's about time he gave into his feelings, isn't it?" He turned to Sasuke, ignoring the annoyed look on his face. "I _told _you! I'm glad you finally owned up to it!"

"Naruto. . . ." he said warningly.

"I know, I know. I'll be going back to sleep now."

"Wait," I said softly. "Wake up Sakura. Let's get going. We have a Heaven Scroll."

He looked back at me, eyes wide again. "We do?"

"Yea."

"All right!" He fist-pumped the air. "Let's get going!" He ran over to shake Sakura awake, chattering happily when her eyes opened.

I smiled. "Let's go."

Naruto stood at the head of the line, Sakura behind him and Sasuke between me and Sakura. I, as usual, was at the back.

Sasuke had his hand to the mark, grimacing just slightly. His energy was slightly lower than it was supposed to be since his powers and the mark were fighting. It zapped his strength. He was looking toward the front of the big room.

I touched his shoulder and he turned to look at me. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"I can heal you," I said softly.

He shook his head. "You need your energy, Star. Don't waste it on me. I'll be fine."

"I can heal with blood, too."

Silence. For a moment. He seemed to be thinking it over. "Okay, then."

I pulled one kunai out, placed it to my wrist. With Sakura and Naruto watching with widened eyes, I started to slide the kunai across my wrist-

It was blocked by sand. I looked up to meet Gaara's eyes. I blinked.

He shook his head.

I nodded, mouthed, "I'll heal it in a moment. I need my blood." I touched the vial of blood around my throat.

After a moment, he let the sand fade away, returning to him. He gave one curt nod, but didn't take his eyes off me.

I slit my wrist just enough to let it bleed freely.

"What do I do?"

"I can either smear the kunai with blood or you can drink from my wrist. It's up to you."

He took my offered wrist, swallowing twice before he pulled back to lick his lips clean. "Thanks." I felt his energy soar, his wounds healed as it did.

Looking over at Gaara, I lifted the vial, uncorked it and took a sip. I held my wrist up for him to see it heal.

He nodded.

"What was that?" Sakura nearly shrieked it loud enough for nearby teams to hear.

"I can heal with energy, as you saw with Lee, or I can heal with blood. Sasuke didn't want me using my energy, so I used my blood," I said it loud enough for Gaara to hear, meeting his eyes.

Again, a nod and his eyes softened, shoulders relaxing just slightly as he understood.

"Star?" Sasuke asked quietly. "You have sharp teeth, right?"

I nodded, looking back at him. "Why?"

"I think I gained that from you. . . ."

I smiled, then laughed. "Oh, wow. Watch out. Try not to bite your lip."

"I already have."

I laughed again. "Good luck with them. It's hard to remember not to bite your tongue off."

The Fourth Hokage came into the room and Gaara looked toward him for a moment, then he started to walk to him quickly, stride long and purposeful. When he spoke, his voice was low enough that I couldn't hear.

The Fourth Hokage's eyes widened slightly and the both of them turned and walked back toward where the Fourth Hokage had come from.

"Wonder what _that's _about," Naruto said softly.

I shrugged. "His siblings look like they're just going with it. Temari looks a little shocked and Kankuro looks a bit annoyed and worried."

"You know them by name?" Sakura asked, staring at me.

"They're my friends."

Her eyes widened more and she stared at them. "T-them? That creepy-"

"Say it, Sakura, I swear I will hurt you," I growled. "Gaara is my friend and there is nothing that will change that, so don't disrespect him or call him names because I won't stand by and let you do that. He's a great guy. He's just been through a lot of pain."

She nodded. "Okay, I won't say anything about him. I'm sorry if I offended you."

"You didn't."

Temari was smiling at me when I looked over. There was a happiness in her eyes that she let me see.

I smiled back, giving her a small nod.

She nodded back. "Thank you," she mouthed.

"Always," I mouthed back.

Kankuro was smiling, but his eyes were troubled, confused, as he studied me.

I smiled brightly at him. "I'm weird, I know!" I mouthed.

The troubled look vanished and he grinned, nodding.

"I don't think Gaara's that bad, really!" Naruto said, putting his arms behind his head, crossed, and leaning his head into them. "I think he's just afraid to be rejected!"

"Like you," I said, smiling slightly. I looked toward where Gaara and the Fourth Hokage had disappeared, feeling worry build in me. What was he doing?

Sasuke looked back at me, a frown on his face. "He's doing what it takes to keep you as a friend."

I looked up at him. "W-what?"

"Drinking your blood gave me the ability to go through his head. I did. What's on his mind right now is you and your friendship. He's doing what it takes to keep you."

"What does that have to do with the Fourth Hokage?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. That's all he was thinking when he went up to him."

"I don't understand. . . ." I reached out with my mind, searching for him. When I found him, I felt unsure about whether or not I should go into his mind like that. I felt it as mind-rape. I pulled back, not willing to invade his privacy. A moment later, I reached out again, but not to invade. I just wanted to know if he was okay. The energy and the vibe of him said he was fine, but that he was doing a great deal of thinking, worrying. I pulled back moments later. "I don't know what he's doing, but I do know he's thinking about something."

"You."

"What makes you say that?"

He shrugged. "As I said, I went into his mind. He's worrying whether his decision will keep you as a friend or lose you." He glanced at Temari. "She's wondering the same thing. She's afraid that if you decide to walk away from him, that he'll lose it. She seems to think the same thing I do."

"And what is that?"

"That he's falling for you."

I looked over at Temari and she met my eyes. I reached out with my mind, not to read, but to talk. _Temari, _I said.

She stiffened, looking around.

_It's me, Star. I'm talking directly to you._

She looked toward me, eyes wide, one brow raised.

I nodded. _It's me, yea. Don't talk out loud, just think and I'll hear you._

_Can you do this with everyone?_

_Yes. It's my ability. What's Gaara doing?_

_I don't know, really._

_Are you afraid that what he's doing will jeopardize his friendship with me?_

_He is._

_Why?_

_He is afraid that if he doesn't do this, it'll make you hate him and he's afraid that if he does do it and you find out, you'll hate him anyway. _

_So he chose to do it anyway? Why?_

She shrugged. _I don't know. I don't know what he's doing._

_When he comes out, please tell him that there's nothing he could do that would make me hate him. I don't care what it is he thinks he did wrong, he's still my friend and nothing will change that. Please tell him that. That's what I wanted to say. Will you tell him?_

_Yes, but how can you be sure of that?_

_Because . . . he's my friend. I don't turn my back on my friends, no matter what they do. He's my friend. I wouldn't turn my back on him. Please let him know._

_Why don't you tell him yourself?_

_I want to, but . . . I don't feel comfortable speaking into his mind like this. You're a girl, I feel more comfortable speaking into your mind._

She smiled. _I see. I'll tell my brother what you said. _

_Please do. I want him to know I'm not going anywhere. _

_Star . . . can I ask you something?_

_I'm in _your _mind, so yea._

_Why did you choose my brother to befriend? Aren't you afraid of him?_

_Not at all, no. I chose him because he feels alone, like I feel sometimes. I chose him because he deserves to know he's not alone._

_I'll tell him what you said. _

_Thank you. I just want him to know that I'm not planning to go anywhere. Your brother is my friend now. I don't leave my friends and I don't turn away from them. He has my loyalty._

_And you have his._

_I hope that's something that will never change._

_My brother may not be very stable, but when it comes to changing his mind, he doesn't change his mind. I don't think his loyalty to you will change, either. He really cares about you._

_And I care about him. Please let him know this. Bye. _I signed out, cutting out of her mind, still meeting her eyes.

She nodded at me, eyes and face serious, but lips turned up in a small smile.

I turned away to see Sakura and Naruto staring at me, Sasuke looking toward where Gaara had disappeared. "Hi."

They stared at me for a moment longer and Naruto said, "What was that about? We called your name like five times and you didn't even flinch!"

"Naruto even poked you and you didn't respond."

"That was before Sasuke said to leave you alone. . . ." Naruto added, glancing at the distracted boy.

I glanced at him, too. "I see. I'm sorry. I was thinking."

"You and that girl were having a serious staring contest," Naruto said.

I looked over at Kiba, who I felt staring at me, along with Hinata. I nodded, smiling, raising a hand to wave at them.

Hinata smiled shyly and waved and Kiba beamed, waving exuberantly. "Hi," he mouthed.

I smiled, nodded. "Hi."

A wave of power coursed through the room. I wouldn't have noticed it had I not been looking out for it. The power filled this room to bursting full and I swayed, looking toward the door when Gaara came through it. The amount of power that filled the room, bursting from him was incredibly thick, pulsing with a life of its own. I glanced toward Sasuke and had a moment to wonder, _Who's stronger? Sasuke or Gaara? _and my knees buckled under the pressure of that power. I fell.

Sasuke reached for me, but a wall of sand cradled my back, keeping me on my feet from behind. Sasuke gripped my shoulders, keeping me from falling forward.

Gaara's eyes locked on mine and he walked toward me quickly, legs consuming ground easily and power washing over me as he came closer.

I worked on centering myself, pushing out with my power to keep his power at bay. I coated myself in my power, rolling it around my body. It was enough for me to be able to stand on my own.

Gaara was standing beside me by that time. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

Everyone seemed to have shrunk away from him as he moved forward. Now I could see why. If everyone felt that power beating against them that way, then they had no choice but to move out of the way. The closer he got to me, the more that power beat against mine.

He studied me. "Star?"

I smiled shakily. "I-I'm fine." I felt myself staring at him.

His eyes flashed between my eyes and he seemed to withdraw into himself, eyes slightly wide.

"Gaara, you're . . . you're powerful."

He stiffened, eyes widening slightly.

"I didn't expect you to be so powerful."

He seemed very tense.

I smiled. "Don't be so tense! I'm complimenting you!"

His eyes widened more and after a moment, he let a smile flash across his face. "Thank you."

"It's okay, Gaara. I was feeling out for you, to make sure you were okay, and my channels were open too wide, so when you came out, I felt your power fill the room and it took me by surprise. I'm fine, it's okay."

He gave one, quick nod. "I didn't mean to surprise you."

"It's not your fault. It's my fault. I didn't expect you to be so powerful, so I left my channels too wide." I smiled again. "I underestimated you. That's my fault, not yours."

He smiled. "Still, I did not mean to surprise you."

The sand disintegrated and returned to him. I felt fine on my own, so I waved Sasuke off. "I'm fine. Thank you. I'm just a little open. All I need to do is shut my channels back down and I'll be good as new."

Hesitant, almost shy, Gaara stepped toward me and hugged me. It was a soft, hesitant hug.

I put my arms around his neck and hugged back, tightly. "Don't worry, Gaara. I'm not going anywhere," I murmured. "Ask your sister." I pulled back and he let me go. "Go on, go back to your siblings." I smiled. "Just don't forget me, hm?"

He smiled. "Never." He turned away, went back to his siblings. As before, everyone parted before him, letting him through. He stopped in front of Kiba and met his eyes.

Kiba stepped back, dropped his eyes.

Gaara nodded once at him and gave a very small smile to Hinata, who smiled shyly back, before he continued on to his siblings.

I smiled, meeting Gaara's eyes as he stood before his sister. He gave a small nod before turning to talk quietly with his sister. I turned back to Sasuke, that nagging feeling building in me. Just _how strong _was the Uchiha? Was he stronger than Gaara, or wasn't he? I grounded myself, locking my legs so I didn't fall, and opened my channels, directing them at Sasuke. The channels filled immediately and, even with my legs locked, I stumbled back, nearly falling, but I kept my balance, even as Sasuke reached a hand toward me to keep me steady.

The closer that hand got to me, the more his power flooded through to me. There was something like a click and his power was gone, as if locked inside him, right before his hand touched my elbow and his fingers curled around my arm. "Star, I'd suggest you don't do that too often," he warned, voice low.

I stared at him. That amount of power was incredible, even with my own blood strengthening him, but it wasn't the extremity of the power that really struck me. It was how thick, tangible it was and how my own power inside me had roiled in recognition, reaching upward to freedom.

"Star?" Sakura asked, staring at Sasuke's hand on my elbow.

I shook my head, shaking the remnants of his power from me and straightened. "I'm fine," I mumbled. "Fine."

He let me go, slowly, hesitantly. "Don't do that again. You're not ready for it yet."

"R-ready for what?"

He gave me blank eyes, which let me know he was up to something.

"Sasuke?"

"Nothing. It doesn't matter." He turned away.

I'd watched Sasuke's battle, watched him triumph quickly, easily, watched Kakashi-Sensei lead him off. It took a short while, but my turn came quickly. My opponent was taller than me-big surprise!-with brown hair and green eyes. He was thin, almost sickly so, pale and hunched in a fighting crouch.

I stood, straight and tall, arms crossed, as the start of the battle was commenced. He ran at me, waving his arms blindly. I rolled my eyes and, arms still crossed, I side-stepped him, keeping my eyes on him.

He slid, but turned back and ran back at me again.

For the second time, I side-stepped him. Once again, he turned and ran at me. This time I stayed in place until he was right in front of me, then I stepped to the side, but not to escape him. I gripped his arm in my hands tightly, swung him around and let him go. He went flying. I reached my hand out to fling energy at him and that black glow with silver dots surrounded my hand and quickly reached toward him, swallowing him whole. The glow and the silver dots were transparent enough that I could still see his body through the glow so when small, bleeding cuts appeared on his body as my power cut into his veins, it was visible to everyone. Thin crimson rivers ran down his body to drip from his feet to the ground, three feet below. He was screaming.

I felt sick to my stomach. I hadn't wanted to do that. My hand was flat, palm aimed at him and when I tried to move my hand away, his body followed. I shivered, covered my eyes with my arm and closed my hand quickly. I heard screams other than his as blood and other, thicker things flew. The blood didn't hit me, didn't touch me, but it made a mess not inches from my feet. I opened my eyes, let my hand fall. I could feel eyes on me and I looked up to meet Gaara's eyes. My eyes were wide, frightened, I could feel it. I turned and ran from the building. The moment I was outside, I dropped to my knees and vomited.

A hand smoothed my hair back, holding it behind my head as someone knelt behind me, chest against my back. Someone else held a handkerchief down to me. I wiped my mouth and leant back against the person behind me, closing my eyes. "What was that?" I whispered.

Arms came around me, holding me against the chest.

I heard someone kneel on each side of me. "It's okay, Star," Kiba said softly.

Someone reached toward me, but held back. "We're right here," Hinata whispered.

I opened my eyes to see Kiba on my left side and Hinata on my right. When I looked back, I saw the reason nobody was touching me. I was leaning against Gaara. I turned in his arms, hands locking on his shoulders. "I didn't mean to do that."

"It was my move," Gaara said, voice empty.

"But how did I get it? I only gain abilities through blood. I've never drank your blood."

"Can you gain abilities through energy?" he asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. Why?"

"The first day I met you, when I gave you the blood, I pushed my energy into you."

"That could do it." I snuggled into him. "That's your move, huh?"

He nodded.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side, then," I said, breathing in. "Thanks, Gaara."

"For what?"

"For being here, for holding me." I pulled back enough to smile up at Kiba. "Thanks for coming out." Smiling at Hinata, I said, "Both of you."

Someone behind Gaara cleared his throat. I looked up to see Neji, Lee, Choji, Shino, Shikamaru and Naruto. I smiled at them all. "Thanks to you all. Really."

"We stand by our friends," Neji said.

Lee beamed. "Always!"

Tenten, Ino and Sakura came out, Tenten in front of them. She smiled slightly. "Always."

I didn't see Gaara's siblings. I looked up at him. He was up on his knees and I wasn't, which made him just slightly taller than me. "Did you leave Temari and Kankuro?"

I heard a "hey!" from beside Hinata and turned to see Temari's legs. I looked up to see her. She smiled. "No, we both came."

Kankuro, behind her, smiled. "Of course."

Gaara's arms tightened just slightly around me. "Are you okay now?" he asked, voice soft.

I nodded. "Thank you." I pushed away from him and stood, giving him my hand to help him up.

He raised a brow, but took my hand and let me help him up. "You're welcome."

I smiled slightly. "We seem to say that a lot."

"Say what?"

"Thank you and you're welcome."

He smiled. "Yes, we do."

"I guess that means you guys do a lot for each other," Kankuro said.

I shrugged. "Friends do that," I said, looking toward Kiba and Hinata. "Right?"

They nodded. "Of course!" Kiba said. "That's what friends are for."

Hinata smiled shyly. "Y-yea."

Kiba's arm slid around Hinata's waist, making Hinata blush, when Gaara's eyes flashed to him and I couldn't help but think, _Oh, wow! They are such a cute couple! _They would be a cute couple. Definitely. Too bad Hinata liked Naruto.

I smiled up at Gaara. "Something you'll soon see is normal."

He smiled back. "Friends."

"Friends."

I caught the look on Temari's face before she turned away. There was a smile, a glistening in her eyes, that said she was happy.

I reached my hand out to Temari. "Friends?"

She smiled. "Friends." She took my hand.

I shook her hand. "Friends, then."

Gaara smiled.

"I keep making friends," I said, laughing. "Awesome."

"You keep making friends because anyone who knows you instantly sees that you're awesome." Kiba beamed. "Anyone who gets to know you comes to find you intriguing. Am I right, Gaara?"

Gaara gave one small nod. "Yes," he said softly.

I looked up at Gaara, smiling. "I'm strange, I know."

"Not strange . . . merely unique."

"Unique, strange, weird." I shrugged. "Either way, I am me and there's no changing that!"

He smiled slightly. "I hope not."

I swayed mentally for a moment, then looked up at him, eyes torn and unsure. "Gaara?"

A wary look crossed his face. "Yes?"

"Can I . . . talk to you in private for a moment?"

He nodded once. Everyone went back into the building and we walked away from it a few meters. He stopped and turned to me, eyes cautious.

I paced for a few minutes, thinking. Finally, I'd gotten my nerve up and I stopped, facing him. He seemed tense and cautious, as if he was afraid of what I was going to say. "G-Gaara?"

He seemed to withdraw into himself again.

I stepped up in front of him, searching his eyes. "Why did you kiss me?" The question slipped from my mouth before I'd even thought it. It hadn't been the question I'd planned to ask.

His eyes widened. He cocked his head to the side, thoughtfully. "I kissed you . . . because . . . I wanted to . . . I felt the need to."

I stared at him questioningly.

A small smile. "You look cute when you're confused."

That made me blush and look away.

"I kissed you because I wanted to. I felt the need to do so." He stepped up to me, reaching out with his arms to pull me into him with his arms around my waist. "I wanted to know what it felt like."

My arms were between my chest and his, fingers curling around his shoulders. "But . . . I don't understand."

"What don't you understand about it?"

"Why me?"

He raised one brow. "Have you seen me hanging out with any other girl?"

No. They were afraid of him. I shook my head.

"Have you seen me with _anyone _other than you?"

"No."

"You're the only friend I have, Star." One arm tightened around my waist and he brought his other hand up to cup my chin. "You're the only one to ever dance with me or touch me. Star, I don't get to be touched like normal people. I don't get to be smiled at or talked to. You're the only one that I _can _dance with, the only one I _can _kiss or hug." His eyes searched mine. "How can I dance, smile, talk with or kiss anyone else?"

"Yea, but that's not a good enough reason. You don't kiss someone just because-"

"That's not the only reason, Star. I was telling you that you're the only one I _can _kiss. I didn't say that was the only reason I kissed you." He smiled slightly. "I kissed you because . . . I wanted to. There's no other explanation for that. Just like now." He leant in and pressed his lips to mine.

I felt my shock boil inside me. I tried to pull away and he tightened his hand around my chin to hold me in place.

He pulled back. "You're not seeing yourself the way I see you," he said, releasing me.

I smiled. "You don't see yourself the way I see you."

"How _do _you see me?"

"I see you . . . as strong, wise. I see that you're kinder than everyone's made you out to be. I see that you're an amazing guy, but that you've been hurt so much in the past that you're afraid to let anyone inside to see the guy that I do. I know that if people weren't so dense, they would know," I smiled softly, "they would know that you're not a monster, that you're just . . . you."

There was a look in his eyes that I didn't understand. "Star. . . ." An instant later, I was being crushed to him. I didn't even see him move. He was hugging me to him tightly, apparently not afraid I would break. "Thank you," he said breathlessly.

"For what?" I gasped.

"For seeing me. . . ."

"Promise me something?"

"Anything."

"Try to see yourself the way I see you." I pulled away to meet his eyes. "At least try."

He smiled just slightly. "I'll try."

That made me smile. "I would say thanks, but I think we say that too much, so instead, I'm just going to be happy about it."

He gave a small nod. "Do you remember the clearing where we danced?"

I nodded. "Of course. Why?"

"Meet me there tonight," he said, stepping away from me.

I smiled. "I will." I watched him go back inside, looking around. For a moment, I let myself wonder _Where the _hell _is Sasuke? _before I turned and followed him inside. I stopped by Kiba, Akamaru and Hinata to hug them and shake Shino's hand with a smile. I stopped by to hug Shika and Choji and kept going until I had hugged Neji and shook Tenten's hand and gave Lee a hug. By the time I got back to my team, I could feel someone watching me, but before I could look around, Naruto had grabbed me in a hug.

"It's okay, Star. We know you didn't mean to do that," he said. "And even if you did, the mess is all cleaned up now."

When he pulled away, I glanced around to meet Gaara's eyes. I smiled, waved.

A small smile, small wave.

"Wow, I can't believe you made friends with him! He seems really cool."

I smiled at Naruto. "He is. He's just . . . kind of shy."

"Introduce me to him when you get the chance," Naruto said excitedly.

I looked over at Gaara, wondering. "Okay, I can introduce you now. There's no problem with that."

"Okay!"

"Wait, you're going to go over there, Naruto? You're going to get killed!" Sakura seemed to be worried about Naruto.

"He's not going to be harmed. Don't worry." And we started off, walking toward Gaara quickly. He noticed us walking when we set out, eyes following us the closer we got to him. I stood feet from him, Naruto at my side. "Hi," I said, smiling. "Long time no see, huh?"

He smiled. "Hi."

"This is Naruto. He thinks you're cool."

Gaara met Naruto's eyes coolly.

Naruto beamed. "Hi! I'm Naruto!"

For a moment, he didn't respond and when he did, his voice was soft. "Gaara."

"Great, now you've been introduced! Gaara, Naruto would like to become friends."

His eyes flashed up to mine. "Friends."

"Friends! I'd like to be friends!"

"Is he a friend of yours?"

"Yeah."

He gave a small nod, indicating he would be friends.

I smiled, hugged him. "Great!"

Naruto held his hand out to Gaara.

Gaara looked at it.

"Um, Naruto, don't," I warned.

"Why?"

"If you try to touch him, you'll get hurt," Temari said simply.

His hand fell. "But she hugs him. . . ."

"She's the only one who _can _touch him without getting hurt. It's not something he can control. The sand protects him from everything," Kankuro explained. "In all the time we've known him, she's the only one that was able to get through the sand."

"It's nothing personal," I quickly added. "Like they said, he can't control it."

Naruto beamed. "Well, okay, then, I won't hold it against you! We're friends, after all!" He glanced back at Sakura. "All right, I better get going! It'll probably be my turn soon! At least, I hope so!" He chuckled. "I'm gonna Hokage, so I won't lose!"

Gaara's eyes widened slightly, barely noticeable.

I smiled. "You do that. Make friends for a minute. I'm going to stretch. My body is sore." I moved away from them so I could do a back bend, all the way down to the floor, keeping my body stretched for sixty counts. When I straightened back up, everyone was staring at me. Ignoring them, I sat down and pulled my leg over my head, holding it, again, for sixty counts. I let it go and did the same with my other leg, looking up to see everyone watching me. "I said, talk, make friends."

There was a grin on Kankuro's face when he glanced at Gaara, who, unlike the other three, had no expression on his face whatsoever. Temari had a small smile and Naruto's eyes were wide. The lack of expression on Gaara's face made Kankuro shake his head and look back to me. I stretched my legs straight out in front of me, spread in an acute angle and reached my arms straight out, stretching until my nose touched the ground. I straightened back up and stood, stretching my back just slightly as I stood. "I'm done," I sighed. "It felt good to be able to stretch."

Kankuro leant over Gaara and whispered something I didn't hear. It was then that a small blush flashed across his face and he looked away from me to glare at his brother darkly.

Kankuro held his hands up in defeat, or surrender, and backed away, the smile still on his face. "Hey, I just said what every other guy is thinking here."

At this, Gaara's eyes turned to Naruto, who was studiously looking at the ground. He slowly raised his eyes off Naruto to look around at every guy that was nearby. I looked with him to find every guy look away from me or him quickly and stare at the ground as his eyes caught them. It seemed everyone nearby had been staring at me and every one of them was terrified of meeting Gaara's eyes. He walked slowly up to me, eyes taking in everyone around us, put his arm around my waist and pulled me into him to whisper, "I wouldn't do that again," in my ear softly enough nobody else would hear.

"Why?" I whispered back.

"I'd hate to have to kill every guy in this room to protect you," was all he said. These words, unlike his last words, were harsher, loud enough that if anyone was listening for them, they would've heard him say it.

"What does that mean?" My voice was still soft.

"You don't see yourself the way these guys in here do, Star, nor the way I see you. Just trust me when I say it's not safe for you to do that in front of any of these guys." These words were spoken softly.

I stared past him at Temari, eyes wide. "But-I don't-"

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

I nodded. "You know I do."

"Then just listen to me when I say it's not safe for you to do that in front of anyone. Trust me when I tell you that there wasn't one guy that didn't have similar thoughts when you were stretching."

He was too close for me to look up at him, but I so wanted to when I asked, "What about you?"

"I didn't have those thoughts, no."

"What thoughts did they have?"

"You're better off not knowing. Just know I'm going to protect you, no matter the costs. As long as I'm around you, I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."

The arm he had around my waist kept me unable to pull away enough to look up at him. "You didn't have those thoughts?"

"Not until Kankuro mentioned them, no."

"Is that why Kankuro and Naruto were grinning and you were just you?"

"Yes. They both had similar thoughts."

"But you didn't."

"No."

I threw my arms around his waist, leaning into him. "Thank you."

"For what?" He seemed amused, yet curious.

"For not thinking of me that way."

He hugged back, gently, then pulled away, eyes locking on mine. "I don't have those thoughts, Star. The only thoughts I have about you is keeping your friendship. I'll do anything to that end."

I smiled. "Same here."

"You mean that, don't you?"

I nodded. "Yes."

He let me go, left hand trailing down my right arm to capture my hand in his. Even though we were nearly the same height, his hand was quite a bit larger than mine. "Then we know what we want."

"Make no secrets, I'll keep your friendship." I grinned. "I always get what I want."

That made him smile, almost made him laugh, I could see it in his eyes. "And my friendship is something you want?"

I nodded. "More than anything. Nothing will change that."

"Temari told me about your conversation with her. I want you to know, you can talk with me like that any time you want."

I smiled. "You know, that mind-to-mind connection gets stronger with the relationship. In a matter of months or maybe years, I'll be able to talk mind-to-mind with you wherever you or I go."

"That must be useful," he said, smiling just slightly.

"I'll let you know when it happens." I winked.

Again, his eyes filled with laughter and he smiled. "When, not if."

"Of course! As I said, I get what I want!"

"And the same goes for me and Kankuro," Temari spoke up. "If you ever need to talk to any of us, you can. No matter where we are, you can speak with us. If you're ever in trouble, I want you to contact one of us as soon as you can." Her eyes were serious when she said that. "And if you get into trouble and had the opportunity to contact us and didn't take it, I will personally kick your ass."

I glanced at Gaara, wondering what he had to say about that, but he nodded. "I can't because I promised not to hurt you, but I didn't promise I would keep Temari from hurting you when you do something incredibly stupid." He locked his eyes on mine. "If you get into trouble and you can contact us, but you don't for one reason or another, whatever that reason is, I will let her carry through with her threat."

I crossed my arms, pouted. "Ah, come on! I get in trouble a lot! Am I supposed to contact you every time?"

"Yes."

Despite the fact I was trying to pout, his one-word answer made me smile. "Okay, fine. When I get in trouble, I'll contact you at the soonest possible time, but just remember, there are times and conditions when I can't contact mind-to-mind."

"We're fine with that, just contact us as soon as you can."

"I don't care how many days or months or years we go without seeing each other, Star. If you're ever in trouble, you contact me as soon as you can."

I met Gaara's eyes and saw something new in them. Concern, worry. "I will. I promise, as long as you promise not to forget me."

"I don't see that happening."

"My brother doesn't forget," Temari added.

I smiled. "Great. I don't, either. If you forget me, I will personally fly to Suna and kick your ass."

His eyes widened and a smile played upon his lips. "Fly?"

"I have wings. I can make it to Suna in a matter of hours."

"Well, hell, if you can get there that fast, we'd better see you at least once a week!" Kankuro said.

I smiled. "Okay, I'll visit once a week, if I'm allowed."

"Always," Gaara said.

"Hey, that reminds me. That move I gained from you? Do you think you can train me to use it?"

"I can try, as long as Temari and Kankuro stand in at all times."

I hugged him. "Thanks. How long would it take me to learn it?"

He shrugged. "A week, maybe more."

"Maybe you should come stay for a week, to learn faster," Temari suggested, smiling.

Gaara's lips turned up in a smile. "That's a good idea."

"If you can get Kakashi-Sensei to agree," Naruto put in, "we can deal without you for a week."

"You think?"

He nodded. "I'll do even more work just to keep the team up."

I shrugged. "I'd have to ask the Hokage, really. . . ."

"Go ask him, then! I'd bet he'd be willing to let you learn to control a dangerous move like that! I mean, really, who wants to be on the other end of that move if you lose control and use it again? I know I don't!" Naruto's eyes were wide. "After all, it was an accident that you used it this time! Uh, right?"

I nodded. "Yea."

"I say go for it," a new voice from behind us said. We looked around us to see the Fourth Hokage. "I agree with young Naruto. It wouldn't be good for you to lose control of it on your team mates or your Sensei. A week of training should get it done, correct?"

"Yes," Gaara said, meeting the Hokage's eyes with ease. "A week."

"And you say you can fly there within hours, right?"

"Yes, I can."

"Then within a week, I hope to see you back here. If you learn to control that move, you will make an incredible Ninja for the Leaf Village."

I smiled slightly. "Thank you, sir."

"After the Chuunin Exams end, I'll let you return with the Sand Siblings to Suna, but you must be back in a week. We may have need of you." There seemed to be some knowledge lurking in his eyes. "I'll write a pass for you immediately." With that, he turned and was gone.

Naruto squealed. "A week in Suna! That should turn out to be fun, right?"

I nodded. "Yea." I turned to look at the Sand Siblings. "Can you guys keep up with my wings, or will we be walking there?"

Gaara smirked slightly. "You have wings to fly with. I can use my sand to keep up."

"And those two?"

"I can carry them alongside me."

I smiled. "Okay, it's settled, then."

"It won't take long to get there, will it?" Naruto asked. "I mean, she'll be safe, right?"

"She'll be safe. Nobody's getting past Gaara to get to her."

I shrugged. "I'll be fine. I always come through in the end."

"Be that as it may, I think I'll accompany you back, as well."

I turned to look at him. "That's okay, Gaara, I'll be fine."

He studied me. "You sure?"

"You can accompany me halfway there, just to give me someone to talk to, but I'll be fine the rest of the way."

He gave a small nod. "Then that's what I'll do."

"Don't worry, I won't get lost." I smiled. "I've got a built-in radar!"

"Try to maintain contact with me until you're unable to, just so I know you're fine."

I nodded. "I will."

"Then it's all settled! Star's coming home with us for a few days!" Kankuro seemed excited about this.

I smiled at him. "Yea. For a week."

"Kankuro and I will sit in with the training, in case you need us."

I smiled again. "That'll be great. Maybe you and I will get a chance to train together."

She nodded. "Any time."

I looked over at Sakura, feeling her staring at me. "We should get back, Naruto. I think Sakura's getting anxious."

He nodded, following my eyes. "Yea, let's go." He look back at Gaara. "It was great meeting you! I guess I'll see you again!" He started off quickly, waving.

I hugged Gaara before walking back to Sakura.

"He _is _really cool, but kind of scary," Naruto said when we were back. "I thought he was going to rip everyone into shreds when he saw them staring at you!"

"He's a little protective, yea, that's true, but he's a good guy."

"He cares about you a lot."

I shrugged. "I care about him, too."

"So how did you two get to be friends?"

"He saved my life and I gave him cupcakes. That's pretty much how that happened."

"C-cupcakes?"

I nodded.

"Cupcakes won over a guy like Gaara?" Sakura's eyes were wide.

"No, it wasn't the cupcakes that won him over. It was the part where I wasn't afraid of him."

"How could you _not _be afraid of him?"

"How did he save your life?"

"I was being chased by someone and he killed them." I shrugged. "And because he saved my life, I welcomed him into the life he saved."

"He killed someone in front of you, but you gave him cupcakes?"

"I think that's why he didn't know how to place me, why he followed me when I asked him to. I think because I didn't freak out and run from him when I saw him kill that guy, he was confused and trying to figure out why I wasn't afraid of him." Again, a shrug. "And then I touched his arm, which caught him by surprise, and he found out that I was no threat to him." I thought about my next remark before I said it. "I think . . . I think the reason he didn't kill me is because I wasn't afraid of him, but I didn't try to hurt him. I think he was confused about what to do with me because I wasn't afraid. I don't think he knew exactly what to do about me."

"So because you were straight forward with him after he killed someone, it confused him and he let his guard down," Naruto said thoughtfully.

"Yea, I think so. I think that's the only reason he didn't just walk away or kill me."

"So, what, in order to make friends with him, you have to let him kill someone in front of you and not freak out when the blood splatters on you?" Sakura looked sickened. "I couldn't do that."

"Actually, when he killed him, no blood got on me at all. Yea, there was a blood splatter, but it didn't touch me. Not even a drop got on me."

"Maybe he tried not to let the blood get on you," Naruto suggested.

I shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe it was just luck."

"Would you have freaked out if the blood had hit you?"

I shook my head. "No. I was already covered in my own blood, so what would've been the point of freaking?"

"I would've." Sakura's eyes were huge now.

I shrugged. "Blood doesn't bother me."

"I think Star's right," Sakura said, eyes vague and thoughtful. "About him not knowing what to make of her."

"I'm not sure if _anyone _knows what to make of Star!" Kiba's voice drifted over to us as he, Shino and Hinata walked over to us.

I looked over at Shino, smiling. "Hey."

He gave a small nod.

I walked over to him. "Do you have lightning bugs? I love lightning bugs."

He nodded again.

"I love lightning bugs. They're so pretty."

He held out one hand and in it there was a lightning bug.

I snatched it and ran away from him, holding and petting it. "It's a girl and her name is Shion, to give Shino credit for her life." I smiled up at him, kneeling on the floor with my new pet. "I love my little Shion."

I couldn't see the expression on Shino's face, thanks to his head coverings and sunglasses, but I could feel both confusion and amusement flow from him.

"Like I said," Kiba said, laughing, "nobody knows what to make of Star!"

"I don't think anyone ever will," Naruto said, staring at me. "She's just so strange."

I was sitting in a corner, petting a lightning bug. What's so strange about that? Sandals came into my view. I looked up long legs, a leg wrapping and shorts to meet black, coolly amused eyes. I waved at him with the hand the lightning bug was not on. "Hi." Then I curled into a ball, protecting my little Shion and said, "Mine."

He smiled slightly, shaking his head and walking off a bit.

I stood up, walked over to Shino and held Shion out gently. "Protect her," I said firmly. "Protect Shion."

He held his hand out and I set her in his palm. "I'll protect her."

I smiled. "Bye, little Shion. Be careful." I turned away, walked to Sasuke and smacked his shoulder. "Where were you?"

"Kakashi put a seal on the mark," he said low enough so that nobody but me heard. "And Orrochimaru interrupted."

I widened my eyes. "Are you okay?"

He nodded. "I'm fine."

"You weren't hurt?"

"Not at all."

I let out a small breath. "Okay, I guess that's good." Then I frowned. "Although, maybe it would've been better if you _had _been hurt. Then it would do something to dampen that ego of yours!"

"I doubt it." He stretched out his back slightly, twisting at the waist.

I had the urge to kick him in the shin. Badly. I fought it. Dammit. "You and that ego of yours. . . ."

He smirked. "Did you really think my ego would change just in one fight?"

I shrugged. "Honestly, no. And, actually, of all the people that have an ego like yours, you are the only one who deserves that ego."

His eyes widened. "Ah, are we giving compliments now?" he teased.

I shrugged. "Just saying what's true. You're good at what you do."

His eyes narrowed now. "Okay, what do you want?"

I grinned. "I don't want anything. I'm _doing _something."

His eyes turned cool. "And that would be?"

"I'm going to Suna for a week." I smiled. "Don't kill anyone."

"You're going . . . to Suna," he said slowly, looking up and over my head at Gaara. "With them."

"Yea, but there's a really good reason behind it!" I said quickly, standing on tiptoes so he would see me instead of Gaara.

He slowly looked back to me. "And it would be . . . ?"

"Even the Fourth Hokage said it was a good idea," Naruto said eagerly. "None of us wants her to accidentally use that move on us!"

"What move?" he asked suspiciously.

"Well, okay, so apparently I don't just gain abilities through blood. I also gain them through energy. When he found me that day, he put his energy into me and I got one of his moves."

"And . . . ?"

"And it's a really dangerous and bloody move! If she lost control of it on one of us, we'd be goners, even if it was Kakashi-Sensei! That move is dangerous! The Fourth Hokage said that if she can master that move, she'd make a great Ninja, but while that move is running uncontrolled, she's dangerous to us all so the only way to learn to control it is to train with the guy that she got it from, which is Gaara," Naruto said it all in a huge rush. He didn't even _breathe. . . ._

"I see." He met my eyes. "Star, I'm going to accompany you there."

I widened my eyes. "No, that's not necessary!"

"I won't go to Suna, but I'm going to go with you there and in a week's time, I'm going to meet you halfway." His eyes were dangerously hard when he said this.

"But-"

"Don't," he said simply. The tone alone let me know I'd lost the battle.

I couldn't help but say one more thing. "But there's one problem. You'll slow us down."

"How so?"

"I can fly. Gaara can carry the others there on flying sand. That way, we'll only have a few hours to travel."

A smirk slowly claimed his lips, filling his eyes well before his lips showed the smirk. "I thought you'd bring that issue up. . . ."

I cocked my head slightly to the left. "What?"

"You have wings, correct?"

I nodded.

"Your blood gives abilities that you possess, remember?"

"Yea, so?"

"I drink your blood, Star."

I froze. "And?"

"If you really want to know, I'll show you later, on the way to Suna."

"But-"

"Star."

I silenced.

"Anything else to say?"

I shook my head.

"Good, then we've agreed. I will be following you to Suna."

"But, Sasuke-" A glare from Sasuke made Sakura quiet down instantly.

"You were saying?" he said evenly.

"Nothing."

"Then it's settled."

I met his eyes, knowing that there wasn't a damn thing I could say to change his mind. "Why? Why do you want to come so badly? You hate Gaara. You don't like being near him."

"Who said I'd be near him?" He smirked at the look on my face, so I must've looked as confused as I felt. "I said I was going to be following you. That means, I'll be tailing you and Gaara to Suna, without him seeing me. I just want to be sure you make it there in safety."

"I don't . . . I'll be fine. I always pull through. Besides, I'm strong."

"Strong enough to take on Gaara? I saw the way you reacted when you felt his power, Star. He could just rip your channels wide open and make you pass out or swoon, whatever. Then what could you do to defend yourself?"

"He won't attack me."

"And how do you know that?"

"We're friends."

"Star, even his sister says he's not the most stable of people. One slip, who knows what he'd do? And who knows whether or not they're taking you away to kill you. You don't know what he'll do when there's nobody to stop him."

"I've been alone with him before."

He gave me a hard look. "You've been alone with him inside the village, but you haven't been alone with him outside the village."

"I trust him."

"You're smarter than this, Star! Come on, you can't possibly think that there's no way he could hurt you. An accident, perhaps. Something that happens that he has no control over. What happens if he gets mad enough that he loses control? Who will stop him, then?" He took a deep breath. "Even if you _are _strong enough to stop him, which I'm not saying you are, that doesn't mean he won't hurt you in some way."

"He's not going to hurt me."

"And how do you know that?"

I shrugged. "I just know, okay?"

"Star-"

"Do you trust me?"

He bit his lip for a minute, lightly enough not to draw blood. "Yes."

"Then trust me when I say I'll be fine. Trust _me _when I say he won't hurt me. Okay? Just trust me here." I met his eyes pleadingly. "Please. Just trust me on this."

A moment of silence; he was thoughtful. "Fine. But I'm still following you."

"That's fine, I'm okay with that. Just trust me on this. You're my friend, right?"

A small nod.

"Friends stand behind each other on their decisions."

He crossed his arms, fingers on his left hand tapping his upper arm as he thought it over. "Friends stand behind each other's decisions," he said finally. "Fine."

"I'll be back in a week. It's the only thing I can do, Sasuke. You didn't see that move. You weren't here to see it. You didn't see the blood fly or the body or the skin-you didn't see any of it. I did, okay? I did." I could feel that my eyes were wide. "I saw it. I _did _it. I couldn't . . . I couldn't live with myself if I messed up and used that move on you or Naruto or Kiba or Hinata or even Sakura. I can't control that. If I mess up and use it on someone I care about, or one of the Sensei's or even the Hokage, what would happen, then?

"If I stay here without being trained to use that move, that's exactly what will happen. I'll lose control of it again and I'll use it on you or someone else I care about and I don't want to take that chance! You didn't see it. You didn't hear the scream or get splattered in blood. You didn't smell it. But I did! Everyone in this room saw it. Everyone in this room heard him scream and I couldn't stop it." I covered my eyes with my hands. "I couldn't stop it. Oh, God, the blood got everywhere and he was screaming and I tried to stop it, but it just went on." I shook my head, still holding my hands over my eyes. "I don't know what I'd do if it happened again to someone I care about." I lowered my hands, looking up at him as I did. "You didn't see it."

His arms dropped slowly and his eyes widened slightly as he took a step toward me. "Star. . . ."

"It was horrible," I said, looking through him, not at him. "It was bloody and messy and I didn't mean to do it. It was the second time I did it on accident. The first time wasn't so bad because I was protecting the team, but the second time . . . it was horrible because I wasn't protecting anyone. I just . . . It wouldn't have been so bad had it been on purpose, but it was on accident. I killed someone and it wasn't even on purpose." When my eyes were focused on him again, his eyes were softer, expression solemn, thoughtful.

"Star, I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For not being here."

"It's not your fault."

"That doesn't mean much to me. I'm sorry that you went through that alone. I'm sorry that you're forced to make this decision. I'm sorry that you feel like this. But you can't let it get to you. If he could've, he would've killed you, too. You were just better and faster than he was. It's a _survival _game, Star. He would've killed you if you hadn't killed him first." He reached out slightly, putting his hands on my upper arms, cupping his fingers around them. "This is a game of survival. You were just stronger. Don't hate yourself for surviving."

"I don't hate that I killed him. That's not the part I care about."

"Then what is?"

I looked down. For a moment, I didn't answer.

"Star?"

"It's just . . . the thought that I could lose control and use that move on Kiba," I glanced over at him, "or Hinata, or Shino, or Shika or Neji-or even you. What if I lost control of it? Who could stop me from killing whoever it is that I reached for?" I brought my hands up to stare at the palms. "Who could stop that move?"

"I believe I have something that might help," Kakashi-Sensei's voice broke in. A pair of black, fingerless gloves were handed to me.

I took them, staring at them for a minute, then looking over Sasuke's shoulder at Kakashi-Sensei.

"I don't know if it'll really help, but it'll at least give you a feeling of control. Sometimes it's the feeling of control that's needed."

I nodded mutely, slipping my hands into the gloves. They were a little large, but they fit fine. I looked up to see a smirk on Sasuke's face. "What?"

"I never realized just how small your hands are."

I glared up at him. "So?"

Naruto had to chime in at that time. "He's right! You _do _have small hands!" He stared at his own hands for a minute. "Wow! You know, I'm shorter than you are and my hands are bigger!"

I glared at him.

"It's a sign," Sasuke said quietly.

"Of what?" I snapped.

"That you're going to remain short."

I glared at him. "I'm _not _short. I'm taller than Naruto and a lot of the girls."

"But you're shorter than I am and the size of your hands says that you won't grow much more."

"So, what, having small hands means what?"

"That _you'll _be small."

"I'm not small! And neither are my hands!"

His fingers closed around my left wrist and he brought my hand up to press his palm against my palm. My fingertips came halfway between the tips of his fingers and his top knuckles. "You were saying?"

"Let me see!" Naruto hurriedly said, coming forward. When Sasuke's hand moved away, he put his hand up against mine. My fingertips were just slightly below his. "Wow! You _do _have small hands!" He looked up at Sasuke. "Does that mean I'll be taller than she will be?"

He nodded.

I glared at both of them. "I'm going to compare my hands with Gaara's, then," I growled.

"Go ahead," Sasuke said slowly. "But Naruto and I will tag along."

I whirled away and ran over to where Gaara stood, with the two of them trailing. "Gaara!"

He met my eyes, eyes widening. "Star?"

I stopped in front of him and the other two caught up, Naruto running and Sasuke just walking. I held my hand out flat, palm pointed toward him. "Put your hand against mine."

He obliged, holding his hand against mine. I could see his fingertips over mine. His hands were smaller than Sasuke's, but bigger than Naruto's and bigger than mine.

I growled, crossed my arms.

"Star? Are you okay?" he asked, eyes widening more.

"Your hands are bigger and you're the same height I am!"

A smile tried to push its way across his face, but he looked too worried to let it. "And?"

"Sasuke says that my hand size says that I'll be small. I'm not small, am I?"

He looked down, away, refusing to answer.

"Gaara?" I walked around him, trying to get a good look at his face. When I did, my eyes widened.

He had his hand pressed to his mouth and he was chuckling very softly. When he looked up at me, his lips were twisted in a grin wider than any I'd seen on his face before. "You're small, Star."

"But I'm taller than Naruto!" I defended.

He held his hand out.

I reluctantly placed my hand against his. "Your point?"

"Your hands are smaller than mine." He let his hand drop. "You're shoulders are wide, but smaller than mine or Naruto's. Your feet are small," he said, looking down for a moment. "And your ears are small. Everything about you is small."

I crossed my arms, pouting, looking over at Temari. "Help?"

She was laughing softly, too. Kankuro burst out in laughter. "You're small," they both said.

"I am _not _small! I'm taller than Naruto!"

"You may be taller than Naruto," Sasuke said softly, "but he's got wider shoulders, bigger hands and feet and he's just bigger than you are."

"This isn't fair. You're all ganging up on me!"

Naruto laughed. "I'm going to be taller than Star!"

I glared at him. "You watch. I won't be short or small."

"You will be," Kankuro said. "You're going to be tiny."

"But what about Gaara? He's the same size!"

Gaara looked pointedly at his hands. "My hands are bigger, my feet are bigger and I'm taller than you are."

I growled. "I won't be small! I'll grow, you all watch!"

He chuckled. "You're going to be small." A voice called out that it was Gaara's turn to fight. He looked over at me, gave a small nod, face solemn. "I'll be back shortly." He turned and left.

I stared after him, then turned to glare at Sasuke. "This is _your _fault," I growled.

"How so?"

"You brought up this subject!"

"He's right, though," Kankuro said.

"That's not fair! Would _somebody _agree with me?"

They all mutely shook their heads.

I growled.. "You're all evil," I mumbled. I glared up at Naruto. "You're smaller than I am. You could at least _try _to agree. Or pretend."

"Not if I'll get to be taller than you! I don't want to be short!"

I crossed my arms tightly, pouting, walking off. I quickly went outside, sitting a few feet from the door.

Someone sat beside me. I didn't look over, but I knew who it was before he spoke. "Being small isn't bad, Star."

"To _you, _maybe. You've always been the taller one."

"Not always," he said softly.

"Okay, fine, but why do _I _have to be the small one?"

"Because you're just small."

"What the hell do you eat to make yourself taller?"

He laughed. "It's not what I _eat, _Star. My Clan members are known to be tall."

"My dad was tall," I said.

"Was your mom?"

I froze. "I-I . . . I don't remember my mom. . . ."

He looked over at me at that, one brow raised. "But you remember watching her being killed."

"Yea, but I don't remember what she looks like or what she sounded like . . . I don't remember my mom."

"You remember your father."

I nodded. "My father was always the one who stood up for me to Kartwer. He protected me and defended me and taught me to be strong. I don't know . . . I guess my dad was my favorite. My dad was the one that always let me get my way. My mom always wanted to put me in pink fluffy gowns and do embroidery class and-"

He chuckled.

"What?" I demanded.

"You, in something pink and fluffy." He chuckled again. "It's just a funny image."

I turned my head to glare at him.

He shrugged. "Just is."

I shook my head, looking away. "Anyway, my dad always let me wear pants and shorts and fight and he didn't make me put my hair up and he didn't try to teach me things I didn't want to learn."

"So your mom tried to turn you into something you weren't, but your father accepted you."

I nodded. "I miss my dad. . . ."

"More than your mom?"

Again, I nodded. "I know that sounds horrible, but . . . I can't help but think that if I had been left with my mom, I'd be a girl."

"You _are _a girl."

"You know what I mean. I mean, a 'pretty-in-pink,' 'puffy dress' kind of girl. You know, like Sakura or Ino."

He grimaced.

"But my dad would never have made me be that. He would've let me fight and cuss and do what I do now. He would've trained me to use my eyes, but my mother never would've been able to do that. So I guess my dad was always my favorite." I shook my head, put my hand to my forehead and shaking my head. "Oi, I don't know why I just told you all that. That was stupid. . . . You probably think I'm retarded. . . ."

"I don't think you're retarded, Star."

"Even after I just said all that?"

He shrugged. "Even after."

"Why?"

"Everyone needs someone to talk to every now and then."

I turned to look up at him. "You don't."

"You'd be surprised."

"I've never seen you anything but strong."

"Funny," he said softly. "Sometimes when I'm around you, I don't feel strong. . . ."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means sometimes you make me feel unsure."

"Why?"

"I don't know." His voice was softer when he said that. "But you do."

"You don't seem weak."

"Sometimes I feel it."

"Just around me?"

"No, not just."

"Why around me, then?"

"I ask myself that all the time."

"If you feel weak sometimes, why don't you just talk to someone?"

He scoffed. "And who would I talk to? Star, in case you haven't noticed, I don't hang around a lot of people. Besides, it's not like I _need _to."

I scooted closer to him, hugging him softly around his waist. "Sometimes talking to someone helps." I let go before he could hug back or push me away or even react.

He stared at me. "You just hugged me."

I shrugged. "Don't let it go to your head. In case you haven't noticed, I hug a lot of people."

"No you don't. I've only seen you hug Kiba, Hinata and Gaara. And now me."

"So?"

He put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. "Why did you pull away so fast?"

"I didn't want to be pushed away or lit on fire."

He scoffed. "I wouldn't do that."

"Oh, hell, yea, right! You would _so _do that!"

"Okay, I would, but not to you."

"Oh, what would you do? Throw me off a cliff?" I turned my head to look up at him. "Stab me? How's _that _better tha-"

I didn't even see him move. There was no "suddenly" or even a blur. It was just one second, I was talking. The next moment, he had cupped his palm around my chin, holding me in place as his lips moved softly against mine.

I stiffened, eyes widening in shock. It was like time had skipped. I hadn't seen him move or felt him move me. It just had skipped from me talking to this. I watched his eyes drift closed and my own eyes followed seconds after as I relaxed into the kiss.

His hand slowly moved up my jaw line, touching the hollow behind my ear gently, accidentally. When I drew in a breath, his hand moved to my ear, touching the lobe gently, running his nail up and down the edge of my ear.

I relaxed into him, placing my hand at his jaw lightly. The motion of his nail on my ear made my body relax, melt, into the kiss and I just lost my shyness and my inhibitions. I kissed back, for the first time.

His hand stayed in place for a few minutes, then wondered down, around to the nape of my neck, fisting in the hair there. I could feel him tense and a moment later, I was wrenched from him, forced to the ground, flat. He stared down at me, smirking, then lowered down to put his lips to mine. Before, he'd been gentle, soft, now he was more rough. He nipped at my lower lip, softly, but not gentle.

I had my hand against his jaw, cupping lightly, and I still kissed back, but my movements were lost to his.

He leant closer to me, lips moving determinedly against mine. His hand moved back to my ear, running his fingernail down the edge. It made me go limp again. It took me by surprise when I felt him flick his tongue across my lower lip. It made me gasp and he ventured into my mouth, exploring gently and with a light touch, gaining in confidence as seconds ticked by and he caressed the inner lining of my lips, my tongue. He drew back slightly, still close enough that his lips touched mine gently.

I opened my eyes slowly to see his already open, dark and lazy, satisfied. It was that look that made me blush. I looked away, turning my head as I did so.

He pressed his lips to the edge of my jaw lightly, then used his hand to move my face back toward him and lightly played his lips against mine. After a moment, he pulled back, sitting up straight.

I stayed where I was, staring at him with wide eyes. "W-what was that about?" I stammered, voice breathy and soft.

He chuckled. "You asked what I would do if you hugged me. I simply answered."

That wasn't an answer! I wanted to say that, oh, so badly, but the look he gave me quelled any such words in me and I looked away, blushing. I sat up slowly, avoiding his eyes.

"And you keep saying you're not shy."

That comment made my blush darken. "O-okay, on some instances, I'm a little shy. So?"

"You, Star, are more than a _little _shy."

"Y-your point?"

"No point. Just stating that you're shy." A moment passed and he turned to smirk at me. "And I find it cute."

That made the almost gone blush flare back to life and I looked away again.

"Oh, and, hey, by the way, I like it when you kiss back," he added offhandedly.

I could feel the blush deepen. "I-I didn't. . . ."

"Oh, yes, you did." He chuckled again. "Very hesitantly, but you did kiss back."

"I'm going back inside." Even to me, it sounded sulky. I stood, avoiding his eyes.

He laughed, stood. "Let's go back in, then, if you're ready." His voice said that I wasn't ready.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I demanded, whirling to face him. The moment I met his eyes, I looked away and blushed again.

"Because you're still blushing," he said, stretching his back out. "I thought you'd want to wait until you're not blushing anymore."

"I-I-" I growled, stomped my foot in annoyance, crossing my arms. All of which seemed to greatly amuse him and he laughed. "It's not funny!"

"I think it is."

I glared at him, but I could the blush returning so I looked away.

"You blush easily," he commented, crossing his arms and looked up at the sky. "It's cute."

I blushed darker. I could feel it. "Why are you doing this!"

He looked back down at me, eyes glittering with laughter. "I find it amusing."

"Please stop making me blush? Please?"

"I'm not _making _you do anything."

"Please?"

He sighed, rolled his eyes. "Fine. I'll restrain myself from doing anything to make you blush."

"Thank you." I sighed, closed my eyes and worked on centering myself. After I felt more secure, I opened my eyes, dared to glance up at him. I felt a small blush, but nothing more and I sighed again. "I'm ready."

"You're still blushing."

"How badly?"

"You're pale, Star. It's visible."

I growled again. "It's as good as it's going to get. Let's go."

He gave a small nod, lips turning up just slightly.

"This isn't funny, Uchiha."

"Yeah, actually, it is."

I glared at him.

He shrugged. "Sorry, but it is funny."

"You're not sorry."

He smirked. "No, I'm not."

I turned away. "Let's go." I quickly made my way inside, walking as far ahead of him as I could. Which, apparently, wasn't very far. . . . By the time I'd gotten back to my team, Gaara had been back with his siblings for a seemingly long time. I smiled over at him, waving. He waved back and I turned to find Sakura glaring at me. "What?" I asked.

She shook her head, looked away. "Nothing."

I looked over at Naruto. "What's wrong with her?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. When I came back over here, she was like this."

"I'm _fine," _she snapped. "So stop asking."

Naruto shrugged again, mute now.

I reached out with my mind, wondering what I'd missed. I felt no such inhibitions about going into her mind. Besides, what was bothering her was right in the front of her mind, for all and any to see. It was a memory. One I'd just lived and she'd just witnessed. The memory made my blush flare to life and I looked away, down, letting my hair cover the blush.

"Star?" Naruto asked. I heard him move closer.

I shook my head. "I'm fine," I said.

A hand touched my shoulder. I looked up to meet Sasuke's eyes. "Don't worry about it," he said simply.

"But she saw-"

"I don't care what she saw."

"But-"

"Star, why does this bother you?"

I closed my eyes. "I just . . . I don't . . . I know it shouldn't, but it does. . . ."

"If it bothers you, you shouldn't have done it!" Sakura said.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, turning toward her for a moment, "this is between me and her. Not you."

"This isn't right! You defend her, but-"

"Sakura!" Naruto said angrily. "Stop it! This is ridiculous! Why are you being like this?"

"Because she's a backstabber!"

"What did she do that's so bad? This is still our team! She didn't betray the team."

"She didn't betray _anyone,_" Sasuke said quietly. "Sakura's just angry that she wasn't the one in Star's position."

Sakura glared at me. I couldn't see her, but I could feel her glare. "She's not so special. She doesn't have a family or money or even a house of her own."

I glared at her now. "Where do you think I live, Sakura? I have my own house."

"I've heard all about you. I know your house was given to you only because the Hokage felt bad for you because your family deserted you."

I glared at her.

"Oh, I know all about that. All about how the Hokage is the only reason you were let in this village. You came here when you were five, right? Ran into him. He practically gave you the house you're living in and the clothes you wear and the food you eat. Without him, where would you be, Star? Not so great now, are you?" She took a deep breath. "You don't have anywhere to go. No family. Nothing to take care of yourself with. What do you have? Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

I could feel the tension rolling from Sasuke as he took all that in. "Star, is what she said true? Any of it?"

I took two steps up to her, drew my fist back and punched her. Hard. She spun once around and dropped and I whirled and ran from the building. I seemed to be running a lot lately. I could hear someone running after me and I pushed my speed higher, forcing myself to run faster. When I had felt I'd gone far enough, I whirled and found myself facing Sasuke. He stepped over a bush carefully, using his arm to shield his face as he broke through branches of a lower tree. "Star-"

I punched him, hard enough he stumbled, but he didn't fall. "How stupid can you be? Can't you see she's right about me? Why the hell did you follow me out here?"

He raised his hand and brushed the blood from his lip with his wrist. "Why wouldn't I?"

I raised my fist again. "Go back, Uchiha, or I'll punch you again!"

"I'm not afraid of you." He stepped toward me.

"I hit you the first time. I'll do it again."

"I _let _you hit me the first time. The second time, you won't be so lucky."

"Yeah, right!" I pulled my fist back, aimed and-

He caught my fist before it hit him, catching my second hand as I raised it to slap him. Using my wrists, he pulled me into him, stepping closer to me when I dug my heels in and refused to move.

"Let go!" I growled, struggling to get my hands back.

He let go with one hand, but before I could free myself, he had both arms around me, arms trapped within the circle of his arms. "Look at me."

I looked away.

"Star, look at me." One arm tightened around me and he brought one hand up to force my face toward his. His fingers tightened around my chin when I fought him. "Stop it. _Now_."

I growled at him, moving so that my hair fell in front of my eyes.

"Dammit," he growled back. "Don't fight me, Star! You'll lose."

"Just go back! Why is that _so _hard? Can't you see, you chose the wrong girl!"

"Tell me," he said harshly. "Tell me you don't want me. Tell me you don't like me." I started to say that, but he went on. "But lie to me, Star, and I _swear _I will make you pay for it!"

I clamped my mouth shut at that, glaring at him, letting my eyes say what I could not.

"Well? Nothing to say?" When I said nothing, he went on to say, "I will only leave you alone when _you _tell me you don't want me. I don't give a damn about what anyone else in this world thinks, Star! It's me and you. Period. If you tell me you don't want me, if you tell me that I'm not good enough, then I will leave you alone. But if you tell me _you're _not good enough, dammit, then I'll spend the rest of my life proving to you that you _are. _Do you hear that? Tell me, tell me right now whether you think _I'm _good enough for you. Not the other way around. Don't say that you're not worth it. Don't say you're the wrong girl. You are not the one who comes to that decision. _I _am and I have made that choice! Now it's your turn. Tell me I'm not good enough. Tell me I don't have what you need, what you want. Tell me that right now and it all ends. But hold back, Star, and it continues. This is your last chance."

"Why are you doing this?"

"I didn't say you could ask questions. I said you are to tell me whether you think I'm enough for you."

I took a deep breath. "Okay, fine! Yes, I think you're good enough. I think you're perfect. But-"

"No, no withdrawal. You've said it. It's over."

I struggled against him again. "Don't do this, you idiot! Choose someone else!"

"Stop fighting this! I will choose as I see fit and the more you fight this, the more I'm going to put the pressure on you. I am _not _choosing someone else. I've made my choice! And you've made yours. This is it, Star. I said that was your last chance. I meant it. I am _not _giving you a second chance to run from me. You can fight this all you want. It won't do a bit of good. Now you can either submit and drop your barriers or I can force them down, but either way, it's happening."

I stared up at him. "What is?" I whispered.

"Do you remember when you let your channels wide open?" I nodded and he said, "Do it again."

I shook my head. "No."

"Why?"

"Because I want to know what you're going to do."

"You can either fight me, or give in. Fighting me will make it drag on longer. If you give in, it'll be over quickly."

"What will?"

"I'm going to mark you."

"M-mark?"

"Drop your barriers, Star. Here and now. Or I'm ripping them wide open."

I shook my head. "What barriers?"

"All of them."

"I can-can't drop them all!"

"Drop them or I'm ripping them wide open. Your choice."

"You can't rip them open."

He smirked. "If you think that, fine."

A moment later, I nearly screamed. It was painful. I felt something inside me shatter, burn. My eyes closed and I fought it, trying to protect myself from whatever was happening, but fighting it only encouraged it. The burning intensified and I bit my lip to keep from crying out. All I could see was blackness, black eyes, when I opened my eyes.

"Drop your barriers, Star, and the pain ends. Just drop them. I don't want to hurt you."

I nodded mutely and all at once, my barriers dropped. The pain faded, but the burning feeling stayed. It just wasn't painful. Whereas before it burnt, it now left a warmth behind, a tingling feeling that was both comforting and safe. I was still seeing his eyes, but now there was no pain behind it. I reached up to place my mouth softly to his, feeling no fear or shyness as I did so.

I could feel his lips turning up in a small smile and he quickly took control of the kiss, turning it so that his power forced into me and he pulled my power out, into him. His power reached into the deepest parts of me, invading my memories, my feelings, everything that was once private he now knew. The double-edged sword to that was my power did the same thing. Everything that had once been private to him was now part of me. Feelings, fears, wants, desires, dreams, memories. Neither one of us could keep the other from our deepest secrets now.

A memory flashed through my head, one I'd never seen before, yet I knew it was mine.

I ran from the house, crying, screaming, "Big Brother!" and a voice called weakly back. I turned and ran to the right side of my home to find my brother, bloodied, torn and barely alive. He looked up at me. "Big Brother," I whimpered, kneeling beside him. "What can I do to help?"

He shook his head limply. "I am dying, Star. You must leave and never return to this place."

"I can't leave you!"

"You never will." He weakly lifted one hand, but it dropped back down and he coughed. "Take the last of what blood I have left, Star. It'll keep you nourished for days to come. If you don't, you'll never make it."

"I won't do that!"

"You've no choice." He coughed again. "I'm dying, Star. Do this last thing for me. I beg of you."

I shook my head. "No! I won't!"

"Listen to me! Do you want Father to die in vain? He died so that you would live! If you don't listen to me, then his death will be for nothing! You love father, right? Then do as he wishes! Take what I have to offer so that I may live through you, so that _my _death won't be in vain. Starlight, all of this, every death, every bit of this is for you. Drink of my essence, take what you can, and leave and never return here!"

"But this is my home!"

"No it's not! Not anymore! This place is home to nobody, especially not to you! Do you _want _to die here! Do you _want _to make Father upset with you?"

I shook my head.

"Then do as I say! Drink what I have left and go, never to return."

I was crying as I lifted his wrist to my lips. "Big Brother," I said, biting down. I drank until there was nothing left, but still I felt there was room. I let his wrist fall and I shook his lifeless shoulder. "Big Brother?"

No reply.

I whimpered and crawled backward, bumping into someone's leg. I jumped to my feet, looked up. I was short enough I could see up and into the cloak of the man that stood behind me. I screamed, turned and ran in the opposite direction. Every time he walked passed me, I would hide someplace, keeping my voice and energy silent as I had been taught. The games of hide-and-seek all seemed to have a point to me. I knew how to hide. I knew if I was careful, he wouldn't find me. So I kept hidden. . . .

I broke from the memory, held tight to someone's heart. My cheeks were wet with tears, eyes sore. "I-I killed my brother." I had collapsed and the only thing keeping me up was him. "I did it. I-I killed him."

His arms tightened around me. "Star, I-"

"I killed him. It wasn't the murderer after all. I kill him." I kept saying that.

He shook me, hard. His eyes were determined. "Star! Listen to me!"

I snapped to attention, staring up at Sasuke.

"I know that you feel horrible right now, but he _told _you to do it. Think about it the way he said it. Would you rather have let your father's death be in vain or would you rather have died?"

"I-it makes sense, but I killed him. Big Brother . . . Oh, my God, how could I-"

He put his hand against my mouth. "Yes, fine, you did it, but would you have let your father die in vain? You father and your mother died to _protect you. _If he hadn't done that, they would've died in vain. They're deaths would mean _nothing _because you would be dead or captured. He died to protect you. He was dying anyway! You can't let this memory slow you!"

"But-"

"Listen to me. I know how you feel, okay? I know you're scared and ashamed and you feel like a monster, but you're not. Star, you were a toddler still! You did what your brother had ordered you to do and he did what your father ordered him to do. You both carried out orders from those above you to get the same result: you, alive. Are you going to let them die for nothing or are you going to live with pride and let them know that you honor them and respect them?"

I shook my head, clearing it. "Okay, yea, you're right. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Just remember what their goal was. Okay?"

"Yea." I hugged him, forcing my legs to hold me again. "Thank you. Thank you, really."

He held me to him, tight. "Don't say thank you. I did what I needed to do. I've got my satisfaction from it."

I pulled away to look up at him. "What _did _you do?"

"I forged a bond with you, marked you."

"How long will it last?"

"Forever."


	10. Goodbye

I waited in the clearing for Gaara. It would be hours before he came, but I needed to think about some things. I heard someone come into the clearing behind me. I didn't turn. I was sitting down with my knees against my chest and my arms curled around my legs. I put my forehead against my knees. By the time the person who'd come into the clearing sat beside me, I knew who it was. "Sasuke, what do you want?"

"Nothing," he said quietly. "I just felt like you needed someone to talk to."

"How could you possibly feel that?"

He moved closer, his arm came around my shoulders and he pulled me in against his side. "I know you."

At first, I was unyielding, stiff, but then I relaxed into him, letting my head fall against the side of his chest. "I'm just tired, I guess."

His arm tightened around me. "Tired?"

"Not physically. Just . . . I don't know. I just miss my family." I sighed. "Now I know I'm the reason my brother's dead. How do I know I didn't kill my sisters, too?"

"You would've remembered it," he said simply. "Just like you remembered that."

"But-"

"I'm sure your sisters are alive, Star. Remember that dream you had about that girl?"

I nodded. "But how do I know it wasn't just wishful thinking?""Why would you _wish _your sister to be in trouble?"

"I wouldn't. . . ."

"Then that's how you know."

I sighed and moved closer to him. I was cold and he wasn't. "Why is it so cold?" I asked, shivering.

"It's not cold. . . ." He pulled me into him more. "I don't think it's a physical cold you're feeling right now."

"But I'm _freezing." _

He let his arm fall away and he turned, lifted me into his lap and pulled me in against his chest sideways, in a little ball.

"What are you doing? You can't-"

"Why can't I?"

"I'm not that much smaller than you!"

"Star, you're light. Believe me when I say that having you on my lap is no hardship." He leant over me.

Despite my objections, I curled into him, letting him hold me. I was cold and being held like this felt nice. I could hear his heartbeat. It was strangely comforting. I let my ear fall against his chest, against his heartbeat. "You have a comforting heartbeat," I sighed.

He chuckled. "Thanks?"

"Sorry, I know I'm being weird." I started to pull away.

He didn't let go. "No, you're being you. Just relax. Let me be strong for you right now."

"But-"

"Shh. Just be silent. Don't complain, don't struggle. Just let me be your strength for now."

"Why?"

"Because being strong wears you out after awhile. Just rest. Lean on me. I'm strong enough for you to do that."

"I can be my own strength."

"Sometimes we all need someone to lean on."

I looked up at him. "Even you?"

He nodded. "Even me."

I leant back against him, curling on arm around his neck and grabbing a fistful of his shirt in the other. "Why are you so _warm?_"

"I guess it comes from playing with fire all the time." He shifted a bit, moving me slightly so that my ear was right against his heart. "Now stop talking. Just relax."

"I can't."

"Why?"

"Because if I do, I'm going to fall asleep."

"So?"

"I don't want to sleep."

"Why?"

"I don't want to fall asleep on you."

"Why?"

"Sometimes I have nightmares. Sometimes I talk in my sleep."

"I'll remember that, now just stop talking and relax."

"But what if I talk?"

"I'll tell you all about it when you're awake."

"That's not funny."

"It wasn't meant to be."

"S-"

"Star, stop talking. Just trust me."

I nodded, letting myself relax. "Fine, but if I fall asleep, when I wake up, I'm stabbing you."

"I'll remember that."

And after that, I just stopped trying to talk or ignore him and I just let myself fall into him. I dreamt, simple, happy dreams filled with a strong, comforting, steady heartbeat all the way through. I slowly woke up later, the heartbeat pulling me into a relaxed, sleepy state.

"You're awake," he said softly.

I felt confusion boil in me. I was in a completely different position than what I had gone to sleep in. I was lying down, on the ground, with him beside me, his arms around me and my hands clenched around his shoulders. My leg was curled up with my knee on his hip, bent so that my leg wasn't over his, ankle resting on my knee, foot on the ground behind it. His arms were still tightly around me, but I didn't feel claustrophobic, like I thought I would. I felt strangely . . . safe. I looked up at him to find him smiling softly. "You moved . . . ?"

He nodded. "You kept shifting around, so I lay down and you did the rest. Since we got in this position, you haven't moved."

I blushed. "Sorry."

"Why?"

"You can't be comfortable. . . ."

"Actually, I am." The smile returned for a moment. "It actually felt really nice to hold you."

"Why?"

He shrugged as well as he could while lying on his side. "Don't know. Just did. Maybe it has to do with how cute you look when you first wake up."

I blushed. "I-I'm not-"

He chuckled. "You're blushing again."

"I blush easily. . . ."

"No, not easily. You just blush when someone says or does the right thing."

"Comforting. . . ."

He smiled, let me go and stood slowly, reaching his hand down to pull me to my feet.

I let him help me up, stumbling. My leg was asleep. Ugh.

He put one hand to my waist, keeping me steady. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Yea, my leg's just asleep."

"Ah. I see."

I looked up, at the sky. The moon was halfway up, but not high enough yet. I sighed.

"Waiting on Gaara?" Sasuke asked.

I shrugged. "Yea."

"He'll be here when the time comes." He shrugged, stretched his back out. "For now, he's probably off with his siblings."

I looked around, looked at anything but him. "W-why . . . why did you . . . ?

"You needed it. You were tired, but you couldn't sleep. I noticed that when I'm around you, you relax, especially when you're near my heartbeat." He gave a small half-smile. "So I did what I knew would get you some good rest. How do you feel?"

I shrugged, looked away. "Confused, a little embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?" He smirked. "Why, because you fell asleep on me?"

"Yea."

"One of these days, I want you to be comfortable enough around me to be able to do that any time." He stepped closer. "But for now, I'll be content with watching you blush."

I turned to glare at him. "What?"

"It's cute."

"Why?"

He stepped closer, put his hand to my jaw, thumb pressing against the bottom of my jaw to push my eyes up to his. "Because I like that I can make you react to me like that."

"R-react?" I stepped back when he moved closer to me.

He smirked, let his hand fall away and walked toward me. For every step he took toward me, I took one back. In about five steps, I had my back against a tree and he leant in, putting his hands flat at either side of my waist. "Why are you backing away from me?" he asked softly, smirk in place.

I looked down, away from him. "This-this isn't fair . . . you have me blocked. . . ."

"You did it to yourself, Star."

"But now you're not letting me go."

He shook his head. "No, I'm not. You respond better to me when I've got your exits blocked off."

I said nothing to that.

"Star, look at me."

I looked up slowly, eyes wide.

"I understand that you're afraid to lean on me. I understand that you're afraid I'm going to walk away. But I'm not going anywhere. I like the way you react to me, Star. I like the blushing and the shyness. I like watching your eyes when you realize I'm being serious." He smiled softly. "Even after all the things you've been through, you're still innocent, like a small child."

I felt like I was blushing, but I couldn't figure out _why _I'd be blushing. He wasn't saying something that would explain the blush. "I'm not innocent."

"Yes, you are. You don't realize it, but the way you look at things is the way a child would. Naruto told me about you stretching in front of everyone. You don't see what you did as he saw it, or as Kankuro saw it. You're more mature than others in many ways, but you still have an innocence about you, one I don't think you'll ever lose." He smiled slightly, looking up. "It's like you're naïve."

"I'm definitely not naïve."

"In some ways, you are. When it comes to the way you view yourself and others around you, you're naïve. Take Gaara, for instance. You don't see how he could possibly fall for you. You don't see that what you did, the way you treat him and act around him, could be taken as flirting. You don't understand that the way you act toward him makes him like you. You don't see it when someone else flirts with you, either. It's like you look at people the way a child does. You couldn't possibly believe that someone could have feelings for you deeper than friendship."

I shrugged. "So?"

"It's that part of you I feel most drawn to. You don't flirt. You don't notice it when others flirt with you. It makes you vulnerable and cute at the same time."

"When has anyone flirted with me?"

He smiled. "Quite a few people have flirted with you, Star. You just don't notice it."

"But-" I shook my head. "What about you? You notice it?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Why haven't you said anything before?"

"Why would I?"

"Well, with Gaara, you always say something. . . ." I looked away.

A small smile. "Yea. I'll admit, I have a more jealous side, but . . . I know that when someone else flirts with you, you don't even see it. Even if you smile at them, or hug them, you don't see it. You've no idea what they just said, or how they meant it, rather. I'm not worried about them taking you away from me."

"T-taking me a-away?" I stammered, staring at him.

He smirked. "Yea."

"W-what do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said. When it comes to guys that flirt with you, I know they have no chance with you because you don't notice that someone likes you unless they _force _you to notice it."

"F-force?"

"Yes. The way I did. You would've gone years without even suspecting that I liked you in any way but friendly." He scoffed. "You _still _don't completely get it."

"G-get?"

He bent slightly to put his mouth to my ear. "Get that I don't want to be a friend."

"Yo-you don't?"

He leant down further, pressed his lips to the hollow behind my ear, causing me to shiver, and trailed his mouth down to mine. "No," he murmured against my mouth.

I pushed at his shoulders enough that it moved him back, but I could still feel his mouth against mine. "Then what do you want?" My voice was soft, breathy.

"You as mine." I started to say something to that, but his hand came up to cradle the back of my head and pull me into him so that my lips touched his. It forced a small, high sound from me that made him chuckle against my mouth.

My hands fluttered up to press flat against his upper chest. I pushed slightly, more out of surprise than resistence. I tried to say his name, but it came out smothered and made him chuckle again.

After a few minutes, he pulled back and there was a smirk on his face. "Yes. Mine."

"B-but-" I tried to talk around the lump in my throat and it just didn't work. I blushed and tried again. "I-but-"

"You're cute when you're confused."

I tried to center and ground myself, but I still felt lost. "I don't-"

"Star, when I say mine, I mean, for always."

I blushed. "But-" I growled, shook my head, tried to gather my wits. "I-dammit!"

"Can't think straight?"

I glared at him, but lost the anger and looked away blushing again. "I just don't . . . I don't understand. . . ."

"Why I would choose you?" He feigned thoughtfulness for a moment. "Because you're . . . different."

I gave him a look. "Different."

He nodded. "From anyone I've ever met. You're the one girl I wouldn't mind sharing my life with. You don't annoy me. You make me smile and laugh and I feel for you the way I thought I'd never feel for anyone."

I stared up at him, eyes wide. "But-but we hated each other . . . didn't we?"

He took a deep breath. "Did you know . . . that when a boy insults you or gets into fights with you . . . it means they like you."

I shook my head. "That's not true."

"Yes, it is. Even when I didn't _know _you, I always liked you. I was just too stubborn to admit it."

"But-"

"No buts. I wouldn't lie about this."

"_Why?" _

"Because you're different. You're independent, you're strong. You never fawned over me. The first words you said about me were 'If I ever had any interest in that Uchiha, it would be to fight him, not date him.'" That had been years ago, when Sakura had asked me if I liked him.

I stared at him, shocked he had remembered that. "You remember?"

He nodded. "Of course I remember. It was the one thing someone had said about me that had really caught my attention. It made me pay more attention to you and paying more attention to you made you notice me more. We got into fights and I started to like you even more because I realized that you wouldn't be one to just give in to my will and pretend to like something I like."

I made a face. "Tomatoes."

He chuckled. "Yea, like tomatoes. You don't pretend to like them."

"I hate them."

"And you're not afraid to say that."

"Don't ever try to kiss me after eating a tomato."

He laughed. "Why?"

"I hate tomatoes."

"Remind me to do just that, then."

"Don't you dare!"

"What will you do to stop me?"

"I'll bite you."

He laughed again. "Oh, will you, now?" His hand came up to cup around my chin and he flicked his wrist so that my face was turned from his. I started to ask him what he was doing and he lowered down, put his mouth against my neck for a moment and bit down.

I gasped, stiffening, putting my hands to his chest and pushing, struggling. "What are you doing?"He pulled back before he drew blood, smiling. "Just letting you know, I'll bite back."

"Th-that was pointless, I didn't bite you!"

He smirked. "Then I owe you one."

I looked away, blushing. "C-can you back up now?"

He pulled me around to look at him with his hand around my chin. "Not yet." He leant down, pressed his mouth to mine, nipping at my lower lip.

I put my hand to his jaw lightly, kissing back until he pulled my lower lip into his mouth to roll between his lips. I gasped and he released my lower lip to push further in, using a firm, sure touch now. At the first feet of his tongue against mine, I tried to pull away, but he held me firm and didn't let me pull back. I tried to say something in protest, but it was smothered. His lips vibrated when he chuckled softly. One of his arms moved down around my waist and he pulled me into him, effectively trapping me between him and the tree. A sense of being trapped by him flooded me, but it wasn't a bad feeling. It felt thrilling, exciting. It made my heart race faster and my pulse rise and I struggled against him.

His arm was around my waist, hand lightly resting on my hip. I could feel his heartbeat against my own chest. It let me know that his heart was racing just as much as mine. I could feel his chest trembling against mine with his every breath. When he pulled back, he seemed reluctant to break the kiss. "I should go," he said, voice hoarse. "Gaara will be here soon."

I tried to nod, eyes wide, face red.

He let me go, backing away slowly. "Just . . . I'll see you later," he said softly.

"You're not coming with us?"

He shook his head. "No. I trust you by yourself. Stay safe, Star. Don't lose any fight that comes your way."

"I'll try."

"In a week, then."

"A week."

"I _will _meet you halfway home, though."

"Okay."

There was, surprisingly, a small flush to his face. "Goodbye." He turned, walked a few steps, then stopped, turned and came back to me, brushing his mouth against my temple. "Stay safe, Starrie Eyes." And he was gone.

I let myself slide to the ground, placing my hand against my heart. I was trembling, I could feel it.

Just an hour later, or perhaps moments later, Gaara and his siblings came. He walked up to me quickly. "Star," he said, voice rough. "You ready to go?"

I nodded, pointed toward the bag in the center of the clearing. "My stuff is packed."

Kankuro went by it and lifted the big bag up in one hand. "I got it. You get your wings out. I'd love to see them!"

I nodded and stood, stepping away from the tree. "Gaara, would you do me a favor?"

"Of course."

I stepped toward him, pulling a kunai out of my wrist sheath. "Cut the back of my shirt. Start at my shoulder blades, descend about six inches down my back in a slanted line, ending right above my lower back. Do that to both sides of my shirt."

He nodded and took the kunai. When I turned, I heard the rib of the fabric. A second later, I felt him touch my back. "These scars-"

"Just make the cuts in the fabric follow the scars."

"Okay." He started cutting again. Then stepped back.

I turned around, stepped into the middle of the clearing and said, "Do _not _go behind me. No matter what you hear or smell." I closed my eyes and focused with my power on my back. Instantly, I felt my shoulders rippling, my wings twitching in response. I pushed with my power, hard, forcing my wings out inch by inch. I could smell my blood, feel it dripping down my back, hear it hit the ground. It was excruciatingly painful, but it was the only way to get my wings out. I pushed until I felt they were far out enough, then I rested. I came to realize I was on my knees with one hand placed against the ground. Gaara, Temari and Kankuro had started toward me. "No! Stay back. I'm fine," I said, hearing and hating the strain in my voice. "Okay. Here goes." I closed my eyes, started to focus. I pushed all of my power, all of my energy into one last push and my wings were free in a splatter of blood and the sound of tearing flesh. I gasped, nearly fell. After a moment, I flicked my wings, drying them of the blood, and stood. "I'm ready."

"Oh, wow. They're huge," Temari said, walking toward them.

"They cut your skin when they come out?" Kankuro asked.

Gaara stepped forward mutely, reached a hand out and, after looking at me for permission, touched my left wing. My wing contracted under his hand and I giggled. He smiled. "They're ticklish."

"Everything about me is."

Kankuro beamed. "You probably shouldn't have said that!" he said, laughing. "So you're extremely ticklish?"

I nodded. "Yes. Why?"

"Can I touch them?" Temari asked.

I nodded.

She reached out and ran her fingers down the right wing. It, too, convulsed and I giggled again. "They're so soft."

Kankuro reached out and touched one. "Yea."

Gaara was softly stroking the left wing in a way that was both ticklish and comforting. It made me sleepy.

"Gaara!" I said, laughing. "Unless you're trying to put me to sleep, stop that!"

He smiled, looked at me. "You probably could use the rest."

"Probably," I shrugged. "But we have a journey."

He nodded and with one last stroke, let his hand fall. "Hm. Let's go."

I nodded, jumped up, clapping my hands. "Let's go!"

"Let's do this!"

"I'm ready."

Gaara lifted himself and his siblings up with sand and I leapt into the air. We began our journey mutely.


	11. Part Two

I was on my way back to Konaha, alone, a mere week later. I'd truly enjoyed my stay at Suna, but I missed my friends at home. I was a little more than halfway home when I stopped. A new scent had hit me and I wasn't sure I wanted to move any further. A sharp pain erupted in my left wing and it gave out. I started to fall, screaming, trying to get my wing to respond, twitch, anything. I was snatched from the air in a way that left me breathless. I tried to scream again and we landed. I fought the person who'd caught me, kicking and squirming and fighting until he dropped me on the sand. I glared up, settled on my hands and knees, to see someone that widened my eyes.

"S-Sasuke?" But, no, it wasn't Sasuke. He had the same ink-black eyes and midnight hair, but it wasn't him. His hair was longer, too long, pulled into a ponytail. There were two lines running down his face. He wore a black and red cloak with a high collar that hid his mouth.

"I am not Sasuke," he said in a low, smooth voice.

"She looks like she's going to run. Let's kill her before she does that," a rough, slithery voice said behind me. I whipped my head around to see a blue man wearing the same cloak with a sword thrown over his shoulder.

I leapt to my feet and reached back to touch my wings. They were gone. "Wh-what?"

"I've hit your wings with a serum that will make them unable to come back out for three days. Don't bother trying to use them again." The black-haired man looked over at the blue one. "No, Kisame. We are not here to kill her."

"Why _are _we here, Itachi? The Akatsuki doesn't know about this wretch. Why do we care?"

"Silence," he said softly, turning back to me. "You're an obstacle I won't allow to stand in my way."

I backed away, pulling a kunai out for each hand. "I don't know what you want, but I know who you are! You're Sasuke's brother!"

"Yes, I am."

"What do you want?"

"You're holding my brother back. I won't allow that."

"What are you talking about?"

"He can't get stronger with you around."

"He's ten times stronger than he was before!" Even more than that.

"I am not talking about in power. With you around, his Sharingan will never reach its peek. In order for him to strengthen it with you around, he would have to kill you. I know my brother wouldn't be capable of something such as that."

"What are you talking about?"

"Even if he was, he would never forgive himself for it. It would probably take him down with you."

"Come on, Itachi, this girl would be a good addition to the Akatsuki's entertainment lounge," the other one said.

"No. We are not going to harm her." His eyes met mine. "I'm not here to hurt you, Starlight, and I would prefer not to. Put your toys away."

I did, straightening up. "What are you here for?"

"I'm here to get you away from my brother. I can't have you in the way. He won't kill you."

"How would killing me-"

"He must fully activate his Sharingan, which means activating the Mangekyo. In order for him to do that, he would have to kill his closest friend. He won't be able to kill you. So I'm going to take away the most precious thing in his life so that he can grow closer to someone else. Or perhaps the tearing of the bond he has with you will be enough."

I moved back to my fighting crouch. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"That's what you think."

"Itachi, this girl, let's kill her. Come on. Cut her legs off so she can't run. Something."

"Kisame, I said no. No harm will come to the girl." He looked back. "But we do have to go. My brother is coming." He moved. It was a blur and before I could react, I was bleeding. Blood dripped down my cheek in steady rivers, dripping into the sand. His eyes met mine and I could feel a static at the back of my head. It strengthened until it was overwhelmingly loud, pulling at me, sucking me in until there was no more.

I don't know how long it was until I was able to pull free. I could hear them both talking, about me. "Let's kill her. What use is she alive?"

"I have done what was needed. I cut the bond between her and my brother. He will see the blood and think she's dead. The cutting of the bond between them may be enough." He was silent for a minute or two. "I almost wish I was there to see if it is or not."

"I don't understand why we don't just kill her for _real."_

"Kisame, if we killed her, there would be many repercusions to that action when the Akatsuki come to find _who _she is. She would make a grand addition to us."

"She looks like a little twerp to me."

"She is young, that much is true, but she is a very unique child."

Silence. For awhile. Kisame broke it. "This girl . . . is she the one that Orrochimaru seeks? The child of the Hyuuga bastard that once worked for him?"

"Yes."

My body twitched. So my father had been a Hyuuga.

"Ah, you're up."

I opened my eyes. "Where am I?"

"Do not fear for your safety. As I said before, no harm will come to you."

I glared at him. "Then why did you do all this?"

"My brother will need his strength," was all he said.

"I don't understand! Why would you do this to your little brother?"

His eyes met mine and I dropped my eyes, remembered the danger of meeting his eyes head-on. "Why don't you use that special talent of yours to search through my mind?"

"I can't. It's blocked off from me."

"I see. So not even you can venture into my mind." He looked away. "I will make a trade with you, Starlight."

I looked up at him, eyes wide. "What trade? What could possibly be worth leaving my friends behind?"

"I may have news of your sister."

I straightened up involuntarily and my eyes unfocused, staring at something in my past. Silverstar, Sunset. A chill went down my spine. "Tell me."

"Not unless you make an _oath _not to come near my brother until I have come to tell you it is safe."

I twitched. "I-I can't. Why-"

"Do you want your sister to die, then?"

My eyes closed. "Why?"

"I need my brother to become as strong as he can. I left clues behind suggesting it was I that killed you. I need him to work hard to avenge both our family and you. I need his eyes to awaken fully."

"Why?"

"You do not know much about me, Starlight, and I do not expect you to trust me. But I do have my brother's best interest at heart."

"How?"

"I cannot tell you that. I can only say that my brother may come into harm's way and that he needs to be as strong as he can possibly get." He looked over at me again. "I was supposed to kill my brother when I killed our Clan, but I could not bring myself to do so. You see, Sasuke is the only one that survived not because I . . . _wanted _him to hate me. . . . Sasuke is the only survivor because I did not have it in me to slaughter him. Because I allowed him to live, he may come to harm from the very people that asked me to kill the Uchiha Clan. If he is not strong enough, he will die. I will do _all _in my power to make sure that does not come to happen. That includes keeping you from him so that his Mangekyo Sharingan can mature. So when I allowed him to survive, I told him the one thing I could. Live to hate me, get stronger with that hatred of me and use it to survive. And kill me."

"That's retarded! Why don't you just tell him the truth?"

"I can't. And nor can you. You are to keep all this a secret. I do not wish to harm you, but I will if it means keeping my secrets."

"Why tell me, then?"

"Because . . . I think I want him to know the truth . . . but only after I have died."

"You want him to kill you."

"I am not proud of killing my family, Starlight. I never intended to live much beyond that. I feel my life force already beginning to weaken. If _he _doesn't kill me, I will die of something else. When I do, I think I want you to tell him."

"How long do you think you have?"

"Two years, I believe, though I am not sure."

"If I were to let him kill you without him knowing the truth, he would hate me just as much as he hates you."

He sighed. "Yes, that may be true. Tell him, then, if you see him before I die, tell him nothing about what I've told you. But tell him to think carefully about his actions. You can tell him to ask me about _my _past actions. I won't tell him, but you can tell him to ask me. If he asks you to tell him, say that you cannot because I have you under Oath." His eyes changed slightly. "Which you _will _be under."

"I can't not tell him."

"You can if your life depends on it. I don't think he would let you tell him, then."

"M-my life?"

"I will mark you with a seal. One that allows you to hint that he shouldn't kill me, but only to a certain degree. You can tell him about the seal. I'll put it somewhere he can see it, in the shape of something he'll recognize. But if you were to try to tell him further than what I am going to allow, then you will die before you can tell him."

"So I won't be able to tell him anything, basically."

"And the seal will keep you from seeing him until I've allowed it. It'll kill you if you disobey."

"W-what about . . . Gaara?"

"You will not have time to see him, either."

"Time?"

"No. You'll be searching for your sister. In return for all this, Star, I'm going to help you find her. I will look for clues as to where she is and I'll tell you."

"I have two sisters."

"Two? Oh, you mean your twins. I was talking about the one who betrayed your family."

"W-what? None of my sisters-"

"The oldest one. She is the one who ran to Orrochimaru and gave away the whereabouts of your father and the information about you."

"K-Kartwer did it? It was her that-" I felt my rage rise. "I'll kill her."

"I thought you would have that reaction. As for your twins, yes, I suppose I can help you find them, as well. I see nothing wrong with that. I suggest, Star, you dedicate yourself to your training. Make yourself as strong as you can so that you may have your revenge. Both on your sister, and the one who killed your parents."

"Orrochimaru."

"Yes. He is strong. You will need the training."

I nodded, eyes narrowing. "I'll get stronger."

"Now, as I said, I will put a seal on you. It'll dissolve after I die, but it will be strong until then."

"I won't be able to see him-"

"Or anyone else. Anyone that could tell him you're alive."

"Or anyone else until when?"

"Until I've decided you can."

"How will I know?"

"I'll tell you."

"Nobody, not even Hinata? Or Kiba? Even if I swear them to secrecy?"

"Nobody."

I looked down. "But they're my only friends."

"You have three choices. I can give you the seal and let you go your own way, while periodically stopping by to tell you what I've learnt of all three of your sisters' whereabouts. Or I can make sure you won't interfere in my brother's life any more by giving you over to Orrochimaru." His eyes narrowed. "Or I can kill you. Those are your choices."

"But Hinata . . . she needs me."

"She'll get along just fine without you. Make your choice."

"Ooh, let's kill her. She's not going to listen anyway!"

"Kisame, there will no harm that will come to her."

He looked saddened by that. "Fine."

"Fine," I said at the same time, quietly. "I'll do the seal."

"I thought you'd agree. Now, don't try to fight me. . . ." He met my eyes. "Don't look away."

And once again, I started to feel the static. I didn't fight it. I let it consume my mind. I felt myself falling into a deep hole, felt that I couldn't stop the fall. I started to panic and a numbness rushed over me, a paralysis. After that, everything went blank and I didn't fight. I came to a few minutes later with a burning feeling on the crook of my shoulder. I reached up to touch it, wincing. I pulled the shirt down just enough to let cool air touch it and I strained to look at it. I couldn't. "What does it look like?"

"A crow."

I touched it, feeling its warmth. "What will it do to me?"

"If my brother comes near you, it'll heat up like fire. If he sees you, you'll have sixty seconds to disappear. After that, you're dead."

"Other than that?"

"It'll keep you from doing much more than hinting to him what I've done and it won't let you near Konaha or Suna or any of your friends. Anyone that'll recognize you besides your sisters. If, however, you come near your twins, it'll start to glow. If you come near Orrochimaru or your older sister, it'll turn ice cold."

"So it'll help me locate my sisters?"

"Yes."

"Okay, I can live with that." I sighed. "At the most, two years, right?"

"Yes."

"Fine." I sighed again. "Okay. I can do that. As long as you keep your end up or I swear I will do everything in my power to have this thing removed or I'll die trying. I'll make sure that he knows what you did."

"I'll keep my end up."

I stood. "I'll be going now, I guess."

"Not yet. Your sister, I believe the one named Sunset, is east of here. Where, exactly, I don't know. From what I've gathered, she moves around a lot. I don't know how to help you find her any better than that right now."

I nodded. "Thank you. I'll . . . I'll tell Sasuke everything once you're gone."

"That's more than I can ask for. Now go. Don't go near him or anyone who will tell him you're alive and you'll be fine."

"Bye." And I stepped away, hand to the seal, and into a new chapter of my life.


End file.
